After two decades, Pakistan has a Hindu cabinet minister

Darshan Lal becomes first Hindu to become Pakistan cabinet minister in last 20 years.

After a span of 20 years, a Hindu politician, Darshan Lal, is set to take the role of a cabinet minister in Pakistan. The decision was announced on Friday as the new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi formulated his cabinet.

This is Lal's second stint in the National Assembly, Pakistan's Lower House, after being elected in 2013 on a PML-N ticket under reservation for minorities. According to reports, Lal used to practice medicine in Ghotki district of Sindh province.

Lal is now part of the cabinet which was filled with allies of toppled leader Nawaz Sharif after a reshuffle that appears aimed at bolstering support ahead of general elections due in mid-2018.

Ishaq Dar, a powerful finance minister, returned in the same role, despite a criminal investigation ordered against him by the Pakistan's supreme court.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif, minister for defence and power in previous cabinet, was appointed the country's new foreign minister. Pakistan was without a foreign minister since Sharif became PM in 2013. The last foreign minister was Hina Rabbani Khar, reports TOI.

To strengthen the party's position in Punjab, Abbasi has added five politicians from prominent families that command huge vote banks in the south of the region, seen as pivotal to the next poll.

Oneindia News (with inputs from agency)