Cabinet Division issues flurry of notifications following Nawaz Sharif's departure

E-Paper | July 25, 2026

Cabinet Division issued several notifications on Friday stating that prime minister, his ministers and advisers no longer remain in office after the July 28 decision on the Panama Papers case from the Supreme Court rendered the prime minister disqualified.

"Nawaz Sharif has stepped down from the office of the prime minister," a Cabinet Division notification stated.

Mohammad Nawaz Sharif has stepped down from the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan with effect from July 28 as notified by Election Commission of Pakistan, a notification signed by Cabinet Secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif stated.

Subsequent notifications named advisers and special assistants to prime ministers as well as federal and state ministers who have ceased to hold office after the July 28 judgement.

The list of federal ministers who will no more serve in their positions include former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, finance minister Ishaq Dar, interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, defence minister Khawaja Asif, planning and development minister Ahsan Iqbal and railways minister Saad Rafique.

Outgoing state ministers include Marriyum Aurangzeb, Abid Sher Ali and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, while adviser on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz and national security adviser Nasser Khan Janjua will also no more hold office.

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waleed fakhar

Jul 29, 2017 04:38pm

ban them all.

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Jul 29, 2017 04:44pm

Nawaz Sharif resigned after Supreme Court issued their ruling on 28 July, because of his corrupt practices, failed to provide list of his oversees assets and how and when his family members purchased UK's flats and who provided the money. NS family lied and provided fake documents. All these reasons are the causes of his shameful downfall.

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nazar naqvi

Jul 29, 2017 04:47pm

What is justification of stepping down after disqualification announced by SC?

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QADIR KHAN BALOUCH

Jul 29, 2017 04:54pm

We do not harbor ill for any one of them but the way you all have treated us is deplorable and punishable by whatever courts deem feasible, so no one dares to repeat all of this again.False promises, false hopes, lies cheat steal make hay while your kitties fill with coins and nation weeps in agony.

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tanvir a shaikh

Jul 29, 2017 04:59pm

now we have come to know why pakistan is not progressing if our courts give us this kind order so as to why we can get insaf we the people of pakistan should stand up against the anomalies and clear our justices system from these anomalies , we know pakistan is progressing under the instigation of some on the whole system has been smashed by the judiciary without caring its after effect such type of decision has disappointed us it seem that under the hand one party PTI has been obliged so that he can get majority in election but they are living in fool paradise ,

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Khawaja

Jul 29, 2017 05:00pm

No ministers are better than corrupt ministers

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AOTSKRC@GMAIL.Com

Jul 29, 2017 05:06pm

@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani just a formality and official face saving

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Aman

Jul 29, 2017 05:17pm

Common public should start bringing in corruption cases against every corrupt politicians if they have hard evidence to all courts anywhere in pakistan, and not just the SC of pakistan and ensure not to ever let any corrupt person ever gets elected aian, do not let this process stop, good step by starting from the rich and powerful, however, it is not enough, it should be ongoing and continuous process. Many thanks o IK and PTI for bringing down the head of corruption on its knees. God Bless IK.

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AdIl306

Jul 29, 2017 05:26pm

Not again! Fedup of dynasty politicians. Can't they want better person among millions for the important post?

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Fareed N

Jul 29, 2017 05:30pm

Too much wealth, too long hands on unchecked,unlimited power - that is what got Sharif.

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Philosopher (from Japan)

Jul 29, 2017 05:32pm

@nazar naqvi I think it should've read as 'terminated' from job rather than stepping down. Someone said if he stepped down at first place he might have saved a little portion of so called respect.

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Sikandar

Jul 29, 2017 05:34pm

@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani - make corrections, not resigned, he is forced to quit and word, kicked out from Awaam House, will be fit.

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Sajjad ZAIDi

Jul 29, 2017 05:45pm

A very comprehensive judgement, truly reflective of Mr. Justice Khosa's assertion of it being such that it serves as a precedent for at least 25 years.

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The other NS

Jul 29, 2017 05:58pm

Well the cabinets job is done - all they were doing was defending Ex PM.

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NACParis

Jul 29, 2017 06:02pm

Certified corrupt khandaan doesn't want to vacate the throne as if they have inherited it permanently. In the not too distant future even Shahbaz will be also disqualified. Luckily for PML-N that great Judges did not make public all the wrong doing of this family. It will be better for all these cronies who kept on defending the family with lies after lies should be banned for good. NAB should be made more independent with honest people so that all including so called honest people from Sind are also brought to justice so that our youngster generation would benefit from the movement started by IK. Ik should also be banned if it proven that he has been involved in corruption and not merely on the malicious move of Abbasi

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khansaheb

Jul 29, 2017 06:23pm

Can you please name one lawyer who takes full fees and paid full tax and declare the earnings. One individual who has never paid a bribe or never taken a bribe one individual who has never lied one individual who has never spoken behind someone find one individual who is sadiq and ameen Not that NS was honest but as a whole our country unfortunately lacks honesty and that is why we elect these leaders

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Habib A. Zuberi

Jul 29, 2017 06:29pm

What can I say? In my judgement the most qualified , interim PM after Mr. Nawaz Sharif's departure is to name Mr. Sartaj Aziz to that position. Call for national elections and start all over again.

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Jul 29, 2017 06:30pm

Let's see how IK with his colorful past and JKT with insider trading pass the test of morality set by SC. I wish SC also rounds up people in judiciary signing LFand military the same way a democratically elected prime minister was ousted. I am skeptical about the true intention of judiciary unless above is done too.

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SH TALHA AKHTAR

Jul 29, 2017 06:52pm

BEHIND the Panama Papers ruling Shahbaz SHARIF to succeed NS as PM, Khaqan Abbasi to take over in the INTERIM.

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jugnu

Jul 29, 2017 07:13pm

It is 'use and dump' strategy of the Establishment that is working. Conspiracy theorist!

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Zack

Jul 29, 2017 07:16pm

This is the best news and I salute the SC judges who were threatened and still they made the right decisions. What I don't understand that why Nawaz's brother Shabaz should be the next Prime Minister as there is no difference between the two, they are both corrupt, and his daughter should never be allowed in politics.

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jugnu

Jul 29, 2017 07:17pm

@tanvir a shaikh , Yes brother agree 100%. It is a conspiracy to put a "Yesman" at the helm of affairs. Nawaz Sharif was, is and will remain the best PM Pakistan ever has. Some things in life cannot be explained. Money flowing from Middle East and Business empires. Parvez stole billions from American money and gifts the same Middle East rulers that gave to other politicians but it is 'Use and dump' strategy of the Establishment that is behind this hocus pocus

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jugnu

Jul 29, 2017 07:17pm

PML-N Zindabad. Nawaz will bounce back.

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Sikandar

Jul 29, 2017 07:33pm

ECP is sleeping, why don't ECP not issuing notice or statements to bar NS to even attend any political meetings and that too on Government property?

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Muhammad shafique

Jul 29, 2017 07:46pm

Nawaz sharif muat return foreign aasets to Pakistan and all his properties should be forfeit

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Howzat

Jul 29, 2017 08:03pm

I am waiting for the day when we get qualified, sincere and competent ministers, advisers, assistants in Islamabad representing all the provinces of Pakistan instead of nepotism and 'yes men' mostly from one province who put their master and their pockets ahead of the country.

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naji

Jul 29, 2017 08:36pm

Arrest them all, send their cases to NAB immediately for investigation and trial. If found guilty send them Adiala jail.

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Wajahat Hussain

Jul 29, 2017 08:36pm

We are surprised that as per notification of the Cabinet Secretary all these fellows cease to hold their portfolios and ministries etc., but how they are still holding official residences and using protocols. May be they need to be thrown out! What sort of fellows are representing us.

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Asif A Shah

Jul 29, 2017 09:27pm

Le the new faces come in politics who are not tainted one way ore another.

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ARSHAD ,Canada

Jul 29, 2017 10:02pm

@waleed fakhar ,ya it will be PTI style Justice. Like in KPK ,no one to watch the corruption.

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Zubair Ahmad

Jul 29, 2017 10:10pm

I think the court would earn more respect if it advised all the Politicians,Businessmen and other dignitaries to make Pakistan a debt free, corruption free country. Lets think out of the box and forgive each other and be forgiven.

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Hameed

Jul 29, 2017 11:12pm

They all should be put in jail.

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Athar Hasnie

Jul 29, 2017 11:48pm

This process of accountability should not stop here.It should include politations,beauricrats and forces people.

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KHAN

Jul 30, 2017 12:26am

Sad and dark day the killer of democracy are once agaun united

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Syed Ahmed, Canada

Jul 30, 2017 12:56am

Nawaz Sharif has not vacated the PM's official residence yet. He is still using the State Protocol and State TV for airing his meaningless speech.

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Tariq

Jul 30, 2017 01:29am

Did he stepped down, no actually he was found guilty and was told to step down immediately.

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Rihat

Jul 30, 2017 03:17am

@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani You are absolutely right. But amazingly, not many people are accepting it and seemed to be shell shocked.

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kashif

Jul 30, 2017 08:02am

kicked off from office by the suprem court.......

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kashif

Jul 30, 2017 08:25am

kicked out from office by the supreme court.,....

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my Comments

Jul 30, 2017 09:25am

@QADIR KHAN BALOUCH You said it very well. Its unfortunate that certain politicians put money making for themselves, family and fried a top priority, while poor and desperate people keep suffering. It seems politicians get in politics to make money, not to to serve the people who pay for their salary and luxury life style.

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Jul 30, 2017 09:34am

Looking forward to seeing the proper punishment of Nawaz Sharif and just stepped down from the office of the Prime Minister is not enough.

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Jul 30, 2017 09:34am

Looking forward to seeing the proper punishment of Nawaz Sharif and just stepped down from the office of the Prime Minister is not enough.

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Tabassum_UK

Jul 30, 2017 10:57pm

@khansaheb well said !!

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Imtiaz Ali Khan