Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Appointed as Deputy Prime Minister

In a surprise move, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was on Sunday appointed as the country’s Deputy Prime Minister. Mr. Dar, 73, a chartered accountant and a veteran politician, belongs to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, the appointment was made by Prime Minister Sharif “with immediate effect and until further orders”.

The announcement was made when both Prime Minister Sharif and Foreign Minister Dar were away in Saudi Arabia to attend a World Economic Forum’s moot. It was clear what specific responsibilities Mr. Dar would perform as Deputy Prime Minister as traditionally, all powers are concentrated in the Prime Minister, who is the head of the government.