The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has failed to take a final decision about being part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s federal cabinet, citing sources, reported on Saturday.
Sources told local media that MQM-P Rabita Committee members gave different opinions regarding the proposal of the new government led by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) for inclusion in the federal cabinet.
Some members insisted on accepting MQM-P’s representation in the federal cabinet, whereas, the convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and some other members gave their opinions to restrict the political coalition to the implementation of the agreement.
They said that the political party should prioritise implementation of the agreement and resolution of the prevailing issues. Later, the Rabita Committee gave authority to Dr Siddiqui to take a final decision.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui will make a decision regarding the MQM-P’s inclusion in the federal cabinet or refrain from becoming part of the new government.
Sources added that Dr Siddiqui will reach Karachi from Islamabad today.
Yesterday, it emerged that Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) is expected to get two ministries including the maritime affairs and the information technology (IT) in the Centre.
The political party will also have a representation in the Ministry of the Overseas Pakistani s as an adviser or special assistant. Sources said that the final decision regarding the ministries will be taken in the session, however, the political party is yet to announce its decision.
For the constitution of the federal cabinet, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government had shortlisted names for ministries in an iftar dinner hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Sources told ARY News that several names from the coalition parties had been shortlisted for the ministries of the PML-N government.
Rana Sanaullah had been recommended for the position of the law minister and Ahsan Iqbal for the Minister of Interior, Ayaz Sadiq IT ministry, Khawaja Asif as defence minister, Rana Tanveer Hussain as defence production minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb as information minister, whereas, Miftah Ismail is likely to be appointed as the finance adviser.
Barjees Tahir, Khawaja Saad Rafique, PPP’s Khursheed Shah and Naveed Qamar are also expected to be given different ministries in the PML-N government. It had been recommended to appoint Maulana Asad Mahmood of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) as the religious affairs minister.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is likely to get the foreign ministry. Sources said that the PML-N government will consider the names of Sherry Rehman and Hina Rabbani Khar for the position of the foreign minister if PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari rejects to assume the position.
Sherry Rehman was also shortlisted for the ambassador’s slot in the United States (US).
