Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed retired Lieutenant General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on energy, granting him the status of minister of state. The appointment takes immediate effect and places him in a role focused on overseeing the power and petroleum divisions, two key areas responsible for electricity generation, fuel supplies and broader energy-sector management in Pakistan.
According to a notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the appointment has been made under Rule 4(6) of the Rules of Business, 1973. The move adds a new role at the federal level for Iqbal as the government manages coordination across the country’s power and petroleum sectors. Both divisions play a significant part in determining energy availability, managing fuel requirements and supporting economic activity, making coordination between them important for the country’s energy planning.
The Power Division is currently headed by Federal Minister Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, while Ali Pervaiz Malik leads the Petroleum Division. Successive governments have considered bringing the two divisions under a unified energy ministry to improve coordination in policy development and implementation. The latest appointment comes against this background of efforts to manage related energy responsibilities through greater coordination between government departments.
Iqbal already heads the National Coordination and Management Council (NCMC), which was established in April to replace the finance minister-led national coordination committee on prices. The council was formed following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid regional conflict, which raised concerns about fuel supply routes and the management of energy imports. Its responsibilities extend across several areas of the energy supply chain, including the import of crude oil, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas.
The NCMC also oversees petroleum exports and power-generation priorities. These responsibilities place the council at the centre of coordination involving fuel procurement, domestic energy requirements and decisions related to electricity production. The availability and timely import of fuel are important for maintaining power generation and supporting industrial and commercial activity. Coordination across these areas can also help the government assess supply requirements and respond to disruptions affecting international energy markets.
Pakistan’s energy sector involves interconnected challenges, including fuel supply management, electricity generation requirements and coordination between the institutions responsible for power and petroleum matters. The government’s decision to appoint Iqbal as special assistant creates an additional point of oversight at the Prime Minister’s Office while the existing federal ministers continue to lead their respective divisions. The appointment notification does not specify any changes to the responsibilities of those ministers or announce a formal merger of the two divisions.
Iqbal’s existing leadership of the NCMC means his new position brings his energy-related responsibilities closer to the Prime Minister’s Office. However, the notification provides no further details about new policy measures, changes to the council’s mandate or a timeline for any proposed restructuring of the energy administration. The immediate effect of the appointment is the addition of a special assistant with minister of state status to oversee the power and petroleum divisions, while the government continues to manage fuel imports, petroleum exports and power-generation priorities through the relevant institutions.
Follow the PakBanker Whatsapp Channel for updates across Pakistan’s banking ecosystem.