Pakistan got a new science minister last week.

Azam Khan Swati is “an American lawyer of Pakistani origin”, says SciDevNet, which notes that Swati “faces the challenge of sustaining developments brought about by Atta-ur- Rahman, widely credited with reforming Pakistan’s science and technology infrastructure and hiking its science budget 60-fold between 2000 and 2008”.

The Chowrangi website says he is “one of the richest” parliamentarians in Pakistani history and puts his total assets at US$20 million. The International News puts his total assets at a more modest $9 million, although it says “he also falls under the category of rich senators”.

He’s already moved away from the Sarkozy model of dealing with scientists, saying they should be paid more. In another article the News says:

He said that due attention has not been paid to the sector of science and technology, especially for the last six months, as a result it suffered a great loss as far as its development and research was concerned. “We have come with full enthusiasm to bring major changes in the sector of science and technology as it is a backbone for the success of any country now-a-days,” he said.

According to the country’s Daily Mail he is also not happy about the funding for his ministry, saying 6 Billion Pakistan Rupees (US$76 million) were allocated but only 3 billion were approved and only 2 billion have been released.

“This cut in the funds affected badly 146 projects of the ministry,” says the paper.

In a move likely to ruffle feathers in the US but play well at home, Swati has also made positive noises about Abdul Qadeer Khan – the scientist responsible for sharing Pakistan’s nuclear technology with Libya, Iran and North Korea. In a third article the International News says “Swati said scientist like Dr.Abdul Qadeer Khan is a national asset and moral support would be given to him”.