Islamabad: In a significant development, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday that Ishaq Dar, the country’s Foreign Minister, has been appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister, as revealed in a post on X.
“The Prime Minister has been pleased to designate Mr. Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, as Deputy Prime Minister with immediate effect,” read a statement in the Pakistan government gazette posted by the foreign ministry.
Dar’s new role as Deputy Prime Minister comes alongside his continuation as the Foreign Minister, as reported by Pakistani media outlets.
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This appointment follows closely on the heels of Shehbaz Sharif’s election as Prime Minister by Pakistan’s parliament, following a national election marked by challenges such as mobile internet shutdowns, arrests, and violence.
Last summer, when Dar served as Finance Minister, Pakistan faced significant hurdles in securing a stand-by arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a process that stretched over four months. It was only through the intervention of then-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that a last-minute deal was sealed.
Throughout the negotiations, Dar garnered attention for his vocal critiques of the IMF on public platforms. His stance on advocating for market interventions to support the Pakistani rupee has long been at odds with the IMF’s recommendations.
