Cabinet of Pakistan
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The Cabinet of Pakistan is composed and consisted of the most senior and elected officers of the executive branch of the Government of Pakistan. All cabinet secretariats are directed and performs its government administrative operations by people-elected statesmen and officers who are generally designated as "Ministers" of their cabinet secretariats.
The existence of the Cabinet dates back to first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan who appointed the first cabinet of numbers of civil servants and statesmen to assist to advise him and to assist him in carrying out his government duties. The Cabinet federally directs its operations under the powers granted by the Constitution, which is constitutionally established under the Article 81D of the Constitution that granted the existence of the Cabinet.
All Cabinet members are nominated and appointed by people-elected Prime minister, and are sworn with the Prime Minister, by the President to begin their duties and secretariat operations. The Prime Minister directs the government and oversee the government operations and duties of secretariat, with numbers of state ministers and advisers to provide and assist him. The Prime Minister plays an influential role in running the government, which mean the Prime minister may dismiss them or reappoint them (to other posts) at will.
In June 2013, a new cabinet was announced by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; all cabinet officials are from the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PMLN).[1]
In federal law and the Constitution
The Cabinet and its secretariat are established by the Constitution of Pakistan and operates under the powers granted by the Constitution. Under the articles 81C, the constitution lays the existence and foundation of the Cabinet. The Constitution further stated:
- Subject to the Constitution, the executive authority of the Federation shall be exercised in the name of the President by the Federal Government, consisting of the Prime Minister and the Federal Ministers, which shall act through the Prime Minister, who shall be the chief executive of the Federation.
- In the performance of his functions under the Constitution, the Prime Minister may act either directly or through the Ministers.
There shall be a Cabinet of Ministers, with the Prime Minister at its head, to aid and advise the President in the exercise of his functions. The Cabinet, together with the Ministers of State, shall be collectively responsible to the Senate and the National Assembly. 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: Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to a Minister who is a member of the Senate. Provided that the number of Federal Ministers and Ministers of State who are members of the Senate shall not at any time exceed one-fourth of the number of Federal Ministers
— Article 81C-96D: The Federation of Pakistan; Part-III, Chapter:3 The Federal Government, source: The Constitution of Pakistan[2]
The principle federal ministers may be appointed by the President, under the advice of the Prime Minister (which the president must take), under the Article 89 and Article 91. Before entering upon office, a Minister or Minister of State must take an oath with the President. The Article 81D prohibits the federal officials from appointing as Minister if certain official is not an elected by the people for state parliament in general elections. Despite the powers granted to President, the Article 92 gives full authority and fully grants powers to Prime Minister to appoint any Ministers, Ministers of State and advisers from amongst the members of Parliament.[3]
Cabinet and cabinet-level officials
Cabinet
Pakistan Muslim League (N) | Others | ||
Cabinet departments
References
- ^ Govt Pakistan. "List of Federal Ministers". Govt. Pakistan. Government of Pakistan (Ministers and Ministries). Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ^ "Chapter 3: Chapter:3 The Federal Government". Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ^ Constitution of Pakistan. "Article 92". Constitution of Pakistan. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ List of Ministers