Women members to be included in KP cabinet: sources

PESHAWAR: Two or three women members are likely to be included in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet, citing sources, ARY News reported on Friday.

Sources said that the decision has been made to include women members in the KP cabinet who will be given portfolios of adviser and minister.

A female legislator from the newly-merged tribal areas is also among the members who are likely to be included in the provincial cabinet. Sources added that Maliha Akbar, Ayesha Bano, Aisha Naeem, Momina Basit and Anita Mehsud have been named for their inclusion.

Some prominent persons of the ruling political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), are making efforts for the inclusion of the women members, however, the number of new members is yet to be announced, sources said.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government had made major reshuffling in the provincial cabinet on January 4.

Earlier, it emerged that CM KP Mehmood Khan is not happy with the behaviour of the majority of the cabinet members and change in the provincial cabinet is on the cards.

Read: KP govt spokesman hints at provincial cabinet reshuffle

As per the notification, nine special assistants and two new ministers have been inducted in the provincial cabinet of KP.

Shahram Khan Tarakai has been made Health minister, Hasham Inamullah, social welfare, Akbar Ayub, Elementary and Secondary Education and Dr Amjad Ali has been given the portfolio of Minerals and Mines minister.

Among other reshuffle: Mr Kamran Bangash has been assigned portfolio of Local Bodies as a special assistant, Muhammad Iqbal Wazir, minister for Rehabilitation and Rescue, Malik Shad Muhammad, minister for Transport, Khalique-ur-Rehman, assistant for Higher Education, Riaz Khan, special assistant for Public Health and Shafiullah Khan has been appointed as Special Assistant on Anti-Corruption.

Portfolio of Excise and Taxation has been given to Mr Ghazan Jamal, as a special assistant and Taj Muhammad to look after matters of prisons as a special assistant.

Showing his anger on the non-appearance of the ministers at their respective departments and in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, CM KP, Mehmood Khan had vowed strict action against those who continue to remain absent and fail in performing.

In his statement, he had further said from now words, he will personally monitor the attendance of the ministers.