How Abdul Hafeez Sheikh Sworn In As Finance Minister?

Prime Minister Imran Khan promoted Abdul Hafeez Sheikh by appointing him as a federal minister despite he was not an elected representative.

Hafeez Sheikh swore in as a federal minister in an oath-taking ceremony held at the President House on Friday.

Shaikh previously held the post of an adviser to the prime minister on finance.

According to News360 sources, many PTI leaders disagreed with Hafeez Sheikh’s policies.

They believe that because of doctor Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, the dollar exchange rate increased which disturbed the inflation rate. All commodities became expensive and beyond purchasing power.

The industrialists and small businesses that were already clobbered by inflation suffered more by the decrease of the rupee against the dollar. The growth rate came to a standstill.

Finance Adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh said in a private meeting that the country’s big lobbies were against him and working hard to get him removed.

Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh was opposed when he took tough decisions to implement the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, depriving taxpayers to get the subsidized sector back on its feet.

In December 2020, the policy of the finance adviser yielded some good results and the price of sugar in the local market declined to Rs 78 which was previously varying between Rs 115 to Rs 120 per kg.

He received some support after these policies were implemented.

There was a time in the late ’90s when Imran Khan used to take guidance from Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh on financial matters.

Now, he has been chosen to manage the finances of the country.

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The question that arises is how a financial adviser, who is not even a member of parliament became a finance minister?

For this measure, Clause 9 of Article 91 of the Constitution reads, ” “A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the National Assembly shall, at the expiration of that period, cease to be a Minister and shall not before the dissolution of that Assembly be again appointed a Minister unless he is elected a member of that Assembly”.

Now, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has the advantage of having two key positions.

He is now a federal minister and if there is no other election in the next six months, he will get a chance to participate in the upcoming Senate elections too and can become a senator.

If Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh becomes a Senator, he will become a member of the Upper House for another 3 years and his profile will be further strengthened.