Nawaz Sharif 'okays' inclusion of new ministers in Punjab cabinet

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif ‘okayed’ expansion of Punjab cabinet, ARY News reported on Tuesday, citing sources.

As per details, Nawaz Sharif has ‘approved’ names of 12 new short-listed candidates who will be included in the Punjab cabinet.

According to details, during first phase, Begum Zakia Shehnawaz, Rana Mohammad Iqbal, Manshaullah Butt, Ayub Gaadhi, Salman Naeem, Rana Tahir Iqbal, Iftikhar Hussain Chachhar, Ahmad, Rana Mohammad Arshad, Malik Asad Ali Khokhar, Mian Imran Javed and Osama Khan Ghazi have been shortlisted for the provincial cabinet.

The sources further revealed that a member of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party Shoaib Siddiqui is also likely to join the provincial cabinet.

The sources said that an oath-taking ceremony of the nominated provincial ministers will be held during the current week.

Last week, 27 new members including some belonging to allied parties were included in the federal cabinet.

Thirteen federal ministers, 11 state ministers, and three advisers took oath at a ceremony at held at (President House) Aiwan-e-Sadar.

President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to new federal cabinet. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also present on the occasion. The federal cabinet has now reached 46 members.

New ministers included Hanif Abbasi, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Moin Watto, Mustafa Kamal, Sardar Yusuf, Ali Parvez, Shaza Fatima, Junaid Anwar, Khalid Magsi, Pir Imran Shah, Aurangzeb Khachi, Rana Mubasher and Raza Hayat Haraj.

11 state ministers included Barrister Aqeel Malik, Malik Rasheed, Armaghan Subhani, Talal Chaudhry, Khyel Das, Rehman Kanju, Bilal Kayani, Mukhtar Bharat, Shazra Mansab, Anwar Chaudhry and Wajiha Qamar.