Sanaullah may get portfolio of Interior Ministry, Maryam Aurangzeb could be information minister and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari foreign minister
Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
After Shehbaz Sharif got elected as the PM of the country, the joint opposition has been much indulged in making eminent decisions such as who will be included in the cabinet of PM.
According to sources, the federal cabinet under consideration will likely to have 12 ministers from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and seven ministers from Pakistan People’s Party.
Moreover, JUI-F will likely to be given four ministries, MQM two ministries, while BNP-Mengal, ANP, Jamhoori Watan Party and Balochistan Awami Party will also be given cabinet portfolios. Moreover, the name of PML-N Senator Azam Nazir Tarar has been under consideration for the Leader of the House in the Senate.
PM Shahbaz Sharif held meetings with the leaders of allied parties and thanked for his nomination for the office of the prime minister and supporting him in the election.
Shehbaz Sharif called on PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Akhtar Mengal, Khalid Magsi, Shahzain Bugti, Aslam Bhootani and other leaders of the allied parties.
The prime minister consulted the leaders of the allied parties over the federal cabinet. “We will move forward with the spirit which has led us to this place,” he said.
In the first phase, the allies will be accommodated in the cabinet as much as possible. In the second phase, other ministries will be given to PPP and PML-N members.
After the impeachment of the President, former President Asif Ali Zardari or Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman will be the presidential candidates. PPP is also likely to get the portfolio of Foreign Ministry. MQM will possibly get two ministries with Sindh governorship.
Mohsin Dawar, Aslam Bhutani and Tariq Bashir Cheema are also expected to be included in the federal cabinet.
PML-N is likely to include Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Saad Rafique, Khurram Dastgir, Ahsan Iqbal, Maryam Aurangzeb, Shaista Pervaiz, Rana Sanaullah and Murtaza Javed Abbasi in the cabinet.
The name of Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar is being considered for the post of Leader of the House in the Senate while Sherry Rehman or Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar from PPP Senate is likely to get the ministry.
Sources said that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari could be the foreign minister while Shazia Marri’s name is also under consideration. While the sources also claimed Bilwal Bhutto may not get any portfolio in the new cabinet.
The sources privy to the matter said that Rana Sanaullah is expected to be given the portfolio of the interior ministry and Maryam Aurangzeb could be the next information minister.
PML-N’s Khawaja Asif, Saad Rafique, Khurram Dastgir, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Shaista Pervaiz Malik, and Murtaza Javed are likely to be inducted in the federal cabinet also.
Independent candidates Mohsin Dawar and Aslam Bhootani and PML-Q’s Tariq Bashir Cheema have also chance of inclusion in the cabinet.
The name of Azam Nazir Tarar is under consideration for the Leader of the House in the Senate. The PPP will give a ministry to either Sherry Rehman or Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar from the Senate, the publication reported.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari could be the next foreign minister, while Shazia Marri’s name is also under consideration for a cabinet slot.
During an interview last week, the PPP chairperson said that the party will decide his role in the new government. The JUI-F has demanded to make the governor of Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from their party, while the governor of Punjab will be from PPP and the governor of Sindh from MQM-P.
