NEW PAKISTAN CABINET

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001355

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL
SUBJECT: NEW PAKISTAN CABINET


1. (U) Summary. Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister
Yousef Gillani March 29 received a unanimous vote of
confidence from the Parliament; this gives the new government
six months to move forward and tackle significant economic
and terrorism challenges. Gillani then outlined the
coalition government's "First 100 Days" plan. After weeks of
difficult negotiations, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and
its coalition partners March 28 came to an agreement on the
first tranche of cabinet ministers. They expect the
ministers to be sworn in on March 31. End Summary.


2. (U) Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Yousef
Gillani March 29 received a unanimous vote of confidence in
the Parliament. Under parliamentary rules, there cannot be
another vote of confidence scheduled for six months, giving
the new government some time to implement the "First 100
Days" plan that Gillani outlined to the parliament (septel).


3. (SBU) After weeks of difficult negotiations, on March 28
the coalition agreed to the first tranche of cabinet
ministers; we expect at least one if not two additional
rounds to appoint more than 40 ministers. The PM expects his
cabinet to be sworn in on March 31. The PPP may make
additional adjustments. The first group were apportioned in
the following way:

Pakistan People's Party

-- Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister of Foreign Affairs
-- Rehman Malik, Minister of Interior (at the moment "Advisor
to the MOI")
-- Khurshid Shah, Minister of Labor, Manpower, and Overseas
Pakistanis
-- Sherry Rehman, Minister of Information and Broadcasting
-- Raja Pervez Ashraf, Minister of Water and Power
-- Naveed Qamar, Minister of Privatization (OR Communications
OR Ports and Shipping)
-- Farooq Naek, Minister of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary
Affairs
-- Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister of Northern Areas and Kashmir
Affairs (OR Environment)
-- Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Minister of Defense
-- Nazar Gondal, Minister of Narcotics
-- Babar Awan, Minister of Human Rights

Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz

-- Nisar Ali Khan, "Senior Minister" -- essentially Deputy
Prime Minister
-- Ishaq Dar, Minister of Finance
-- Khwaja Mohammad Asif, Minister of Petroleum and Natural
Resources
-- Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister of Defense Production
-- Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Minister of Youth Affairs
-- Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Education
-- Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, Minister of Railways

Awami National Party (ANP) (still TBC):

-- Ghulam Ahmed Bilour -- either Minister of Local Government
and Rural Development or Minister of Social Affairs
-- Khawaja Mohammed Hoti -- either Minister of Local
Government and Rural Development or Minister of Social Affairs

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F):

-- Fazlur Rehman - Committee on Kashmir (minister-equivalent)



4. (SBU) Husain Haqqani has been appointed "Ambassador at
Large" and will serve as PPP leader Asif Zardari's primary
foreign policy advisor. Key as yet unfilled posts include
the Attorney General and the Minister of Religious Affairs.


5. Biographies to follow.
BODDE