ISLAMABAD: Chairpersons of three standing committees of the National Assembly were appointed after elections on Wednesday, according to an official notification.

After separate elections in the three committees, MNA Khawaja Ghulam Rasool Koreja was appointed chairperson of the narcotics control committee, MNA Syed Imran Ahmad Shah was made head of the standing committee on privatisation and Syed Iftikharul Hassan was elected unopposed chairperson of the standing committee on postal services.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reallocated portfolios of two ministries.

According to the notification, Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha was appointed as minister of state for parliamentary affairs and Usman Ibrahim — previously minister of state for law and justice — as minister for human rights.

Prime Minister Abbasi also appointed 11 parliamentary secretaries — Abdul Ghafar Dogar for ministry of science and technology, Chaudhry Armaghan Subhani for climate change, Ghulam Muhammad for defence production, Syed Muhammad Asghar for water affairs, Chaudhry Tufail for privatisation, Nadeem Abbas for information technology, Chaudhry Nazir for law and justice, Dr Nisar Jutt for human rights, Shaza Fatima Khawaja for commerce and Farhana Qamar for national health services.

Moreover, Najeebuddin Owaisi, who was previously parliamentary secretary for narcotics control, will now head the commerce committee.

The parliamentary secretaries will be responsible for responding to questions in absence of their federal ministers and ministers of state in the National Assembly. They can avail the facilities of office, staff and car.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2017