First Pakistani Hindu minister in 25 years

Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday named a hawkish foreign minister and a Hindu as a minister of state — the first one in 25 years — as new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi completed his team.

Khawaja Mohammed Asif, former defence minister, will be the new foreign minister. He is known for his hawkish anti-India position.

Dr Darshan Punshi has been sworn in as a minister of state, and is the first Pakistani minister belonging to the Hindu faith appointed in 25 years. He is also the new addition from Sindh.

The 43-member Cabinet of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi includes six new ministers who had not been part of the Nawaz Sharif government. Hafiz Abdul Karim, Syed Javed Ali Shah, Abdul Rehman Kanju, Sardar Awais Leghari and Muhammad Arshad Khan Leghari are the new inclusions in the Cabinet, raising the number of ministers in new Cabinet hailing from South Punjab to eight. Mr Punshi is the sixth addition from Sindh.

The new-elected Cabinet on Friday expressed its firm resolve to work with more commitment and dedication for national prosperity. Foreign minister Khawaja Asif said: “Our commitment is to the people of the country and we will continue to serve them as long as we are members of the Cabinet.” He added: “The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is stronger than ever before, with not a single defection while democracy was gaining strength.”

The portfolios of the ministers and ministers of state will be announced later. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reiterated on Friday Pakistan’s resolve to extend “moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir for their right of self-determination”.