ISLAMABAD – After getting governors’ slots in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) is seriously considering becoming a part of the federal and Punjab cabinets.
Initially, the PPP supported the federal government and the one in Punjab while keeping only the constitutional posts. However, PPP lawmakers in the centre and Punjab desired the leadership to take share in cabinets to form proper coalition governments.
As per the insiders, a group of lawmakers desired not to join the cabinets. As such, the PPP leadership would put the issue before the Central Executive Committee to build consensus. The CEC would make the final decision about the timing of joining the cabinet of PM Shehbaz Sharif and in the biggest federating unit. If the PPP decides to join the cabinets, the powers of ministers would be well defined.
Moreover, getting a formal nod from the PPP Central Executive Committee is essential before announcing the decision and timings of joining the federal cabinet and the one in Punjab. The reason is that it was the CEC that decided to support the government while staying away from the cabinets. In the first phase, the PPP is likely to get eight ministries in Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet.
The PPP also desired to grab the chairmanship of key standing committees of the National Assembly and those in Punjab. The PPP is discussing the issue with the PML-N.
