Pakistan: New PM Shahid Khagan Abbasi delays cabinet formation

Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today delayed the formation of his Cabinet, saying it would be announced in a couple of days.

“Cabinet will be announced in one to two days,” Abbasi told reporters, but did not say why the decision was delayed when arrangements had been made for the oath-taking ceremony today.

Abbasi had met Nawaz Sharif at the ousted former prime minister’s Murree residence earlier today. He was accompanied by Sharif’s brother Shehbaz, who will take over from Abbasi after being elected to the National Assembly later this year.

Sharif has been staying in Murree since he vacated the official residence two days ago after the Supreme Court disqualified him in connection with the Panama Papers scandal.

According to the National Accountability Bureau, the Sharif family will face four cases for allegedly possessing offshore assets following the court’s direction that graft cases be filed against Sharif and his children.

The Press Information Department said in a statement that the Cabinet was to take oath at 5:30 pm local time, but it has been postponed.

The formation of the Cabinet is a challenge for the new prime minister as former interior minister and senior party leader, Nisar Ali Khan, is supposedly not ready …read more