LAHORE: A federal law officer on Friday told the Lahore High Court that special assistants and advisers to the prime minister were not a part of the cabinet and they attended its meetings only on a special invitation.

Deputy Attorney General Usman Ghani further stated before the court that the Constitution did not deal with the appointment of the advisers as they were appointed under the rules of business.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi was hearing a petition by advocate Azhar Siddique challenging the size of the federal cabinet and appointments of the special assistants and the advisers to the prime minister.

The judge observed that there might be a limit to the numbers of the advisers if there was a limit to the appointment of the ministers.

The judge further observed that elected representatives were supposed to be the part of the government in a parliamentary system.

“May be the government appoints advisers and assistants for their experience in a relevant field,” the judge added.

However, Justice Najafi asked the law officer whether the volume of the advisers and assistants was large due to the coalition government.

Advocate Siddique argued that the members of the cabinet could not be beyond 42 but the strength of the sitting cabinet was 85. He said the country was facing a financial crisis and could not bear the burden of an oversized cabinet.

He asked the court to order the federal government to cut the size of its cabinet and also the number of the advisers and special assistants.

The judge adjourned the hearing till March 6 for further arguments.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2023