ISLAMABAD: Opposition party members criticised the new government for nominating Abdul Qadir Patel as Pakistan's new Health Minister, citing criminal cases against him as well as his qualifications to lead a health ministry.
After a lengthy wait, the 34-member Cabinet of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in. There are 31 cabinet ministers and three state ministers. Qadir Patel takes the oath of office for the first time in Shehbaz Sharif's cabinet as Federal Health Minister.
PPP (Pakistan Peoples Party) politician Abdul Qadir Patel is a Pakistan National Assembly member. At the age of 25, he became the country's youngest member of Parliament. In addition to being the Deputy Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly, he was the head of the Standing Committee on the interior. In 2018 he was elected to Pakistan's National Assembly from the country's newest constituency, NA-248 (Karachi West-I).
However, opposition party members slammed Abdul Qadir Patel's nomination as Pakistan's new Health Minister, citing criminal cases against him and his qualifications to lead such an important ministry.
Former federal minister Ali Zaidi reminded us that Qadir Patel is involved in the Hawks bay land case. Whereas social media users expressed rage as Patel has been implicated in various corruption and crimes.
Others pointed out how the former health minister Dr Faisal Sultan was an accomplished health practitioner compared to Patel, who had no experience in the health sector.
On the other hand, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho said that Abdul Qadir Patel was "fully capable" of running the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C), contending that someone doesn't need to be an expert in the area for which they have been made responsible in the government.
According to Dr Azra, political will is more important to running a government department or a ministry than having any professional expertise or management and leadership skills.
