PTI faces new challenge: Can Hafeez continue as Minister.

ISLAMABAD -- After facing unexpected defeat on Senate's Islamabad general seat, the incumbent government might face new challenge of how to continue with Abdul Hafeez Shaikh as Finance and Revenue Minister after Islamabad High Court's decision that unelected Advisers and Special Assistants could not head government committees.

Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was made a federal Minister on December 11 2020 after President Arif Alvi administered oath to him. Before being made a Minister, Shaikh was serving as the Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance with the status of a Federal Minister.

However, later, Islamabad High Court ruled that unelected advisers and special assistants could not head the government committees, especially Cabinet Committees.

Following the IHC's decision, the government had decided to appoint Hafeez Shaikh as the Finance Minister for a maximum of six months, till June 12, 2021 similar to how the previous PML-N government had appointed Dr Miftah Ismail to the post.

The government had also decided to give Hafeez Shaikh a Senate's ticket for further continuation of Finance Minister till the completion of Constitutional tenure of the incumbent government. However, Hafeez Shaikh's defeat from the Senate's election has created some problems for the government.

Sources informed that Hafeez Shaikh could continue as Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue till mid of June, 2021. He could present federal budget 2021-22 before June 11.

For further continuation, the government would either elect Shaikh as Senator from the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhunkhawa where PTI has majority, or he...