Punjab likely to induct new ministers in provincial cabinet

LAHORE: Punjab likely to induct 10 ministers into its provincial cabinet, with majority of new faces hailing from the southern part of the province, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif has given the green signal for the cabinet expansion, expected to take place within the next two months.

Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz will reportedly hold meetings with assembly members at the divisional level to finalize the names of the new ministers.

In a separate development earlier, the Punjab Assembly approved the manyfold increase in the monthly salaries of MPAs, provincial ministers, speaker, deputy speaker, parliamentary secretaries and other officials.

The 19th session of the Punjab Assembly was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman tabled the bill to increase the salaries of members of the assembly.

Opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar raised some nominal objections before the House passed the bill with a majority vote.

The monthly salary of a member of the provincial assembly (MPA) has been increased by 426 percent to Rs4,00000 from the previous Rs76,000.

Similarly, the salary of a provincial minister surged by 860 percent, reaching Rs9,60,000 from the previous amount of Rs1,00000.

Also, the salary of the speaker assembly was hiked from Rs1,25000 to Rs9,50,000, while the deputy speaker’s salary rose from Rs1,20,000 to Rs7,75,000.