PM changes State Minister Murad Saeed's portfolio

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday changed the portfolio of Minister of State Murad Saeed.

Murad Saeed has been appointed as Minister for State for Communication. He was previous the minister of state for States and Frontier Regions Division (SAFRON).

Saeed was among six members who were inducted in the federal cabinet on September 11, the second expansion since the government was established.

Muhammad Shabir Ali, Muhammad Hammad Azhar were also inducted as state ministers. Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Muhammad Mahar and Syed Ali Haider Zaidi were sworn in as federal ministers.

Furthermore, the president has accepted the resignation of adviser on parliamentary affairs Babar Awan who resigned earlier this month to face a corruption enquiry.

The federal cabinet currently has nineteen ministers and five ministers of state along with four advisers and four special assistants to the prime minister.

The cabinet could see further expansion as several prominent ministries are still vacant including Science and Technology, Overseas Pakistanis, Kashmir Affairs, Narcotics, and Postal Services.

Faisal Vawda and Fazal Muhammad Khan are likely to be included in the next phase along with Ali Amin Gandapur and Azam Swati.

Efforts are also being made to convince disgruntled member Muhammad Mian Soomro to be part of the federal cabinet. He has refused to take oath after not been offered a federal ministry and was instead offered a state ministry.

PM Imran Khan had initially unveiled a twenty member cabinet including fifteen ministers and five advisers.