As Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif became the country’s 24th premier thanks to the Pakistan Peoples Party’s support, PML-N central leader Khawaja Asif supported PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s proposal to devolve 10 out of 12 federal ministries to the provinces.
“Federal ministries for education and health should be shifted to provinces,” Asif said while speaking to journalists in parliament, adding that “empowering district government would reduce the burden on assembly members.”
He stated that the participation of the Bilawal-led party, which finished third on the party position list in the 2024 nationwide polls and forged an alliance with the Nawaz-led party to govern the country, in the cabinet was a “good omen” for the new administration.
The senior politician believed that once three big parties from three provinces joined the federal government, their responsibilities would be divided. He also advised shrinking the size of the next cabinet.
The former defence minister also supported the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P)’s call for a constitutional amendment to empower the district government of Karachi, Sindh’s port city and capital, to follow the “strong local governments” model of other prominent cities around the world.
Regarding his nomination for parliamentary leader, Asif affirmed that his party nominated him for “a post bigger than any ministry.”
