Dar expected to become foreign minister in new govt, says report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar, who had earlier held the finance porfolio when his party was at the helm, is tipped to become the foreign minister of the country, a media report said.
According to sources, Dar will be handed over the Foreign Affairs Ministry in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, The News reported.
However, caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani is set to serve as an adviser to the premier on foreign affairs, while Tariq Fatemi will be appointed as the special assistant on foreign affairs.
Dar, as per the sources, was present during a meeting held on Thursday between Shahbaz Sharif and the former caretaker foreign minister and foreign secretary.
Jilani, during the meeting, provided a detailed briefing to the premier regarding the developments in various foreign affairs when the caretaker setup was managing the government at the Centre.
This will be the first time that Dar will serve as the foreign minister.
As one of PML-N’S veteran politicians, Dar had earlier served as the finance minister.
His return to the coveted role came ater his arrival to Pakistan ater five years of self-imposed exile in September 2022.
Earlier, Dar said that PML-N tried its best to bring Dr Aafia Siddiqui back to Pakistan but US authorities did not agree.
Expressing his views in the Senate on Thursday, Dar said that their government in the past worked hard to bring back Siddiqui.
He also claimed PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif during his third term talked to White House about her repatriation but failed in this respect.
Dar claimed that new federal government under Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will make efforts to bring her back.
Dar also told Senate that during 2013 to 2018, he held detailed discussions with then US Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken three times over the issue.
Dar further claimed that ater the formation of federal cabinet, Shahbaz govt will prioritise the issue to bring back the “daughter of Pakistan.”