ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Human Rights Barrister Usman Ibrahim was promoted to the rank of federal minister on Thursday as the government continued to upgrade ministers despite the fact that its five-year term is ending in less than a month.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to Mr Ibrahim as the federal minister at a ceremony held at the presidency.

Earlier on April 27, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi appointed his adviser on finance, revenue and economic affairs Miftah Ismail as the federal minister and upgraded three ministers of state Marriyum Aurangzeb, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Anusha Rehman, who were holding portfolios of information and broadcasting, capital administration dev­elop­ment division and information technology, respectively, giving them the status of federal ministers.

Besides, an MNA of the ruling PML-N, Laila Khan, was also inducted into the cabinet as minister of state.

The cabinet expansion at a time when the government is about to complete its term drew criticism from two major opposition parties — Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Analysts believe these ministers had been rewarded for their fight in the media in defence of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2018