Web Desk (LTN NEWS): After a lot of political chaos and uncertainty, it looks like Punjab will be getting back to something like normal soon. According to reports, PTI chairman Imran Khan and Chief Minister Parvez Elahi have chosen 21 lawmakers to be in the first round of the Punjab cabinet.
Reports say that the major ministries have been given to the same PTI leaders who held them during Usman Buzdar’s time in office. During the first phase, only PTI ministers will take the oath.
Even though Mr. Buzdar’s cabinet had two PML-Q ministers, none of the party’s members have been added to the cabinet this time. Both sides seem to agree on this, as PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi has said that they won’t be looking for any other jobs after getting the Punjab CM job.
Sardar Usman Buzdar, who used to be the premier of Punjab, has been named the parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly. In addition, Dr. Yasmin Rashid is likely to return to the Ministry of Health, Mian Aslam Iqbal is likely to get the Ministry of Housing and Works, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed is likely to get the Ministry of Local Government, and Dr. Murad Ras is likely to return to the Ministry of Education.
This is a good sign since the political turmoil has kept the government in the country’s biggest province from working for the last couple of months. At last, it looks like the government will get back on track and run normally again.
What’s still up in the air is how the provincial and federal governments will work together in the future. The hope is that both sides will accept the political reality and be able to put their political differences to one side so that the government can work well.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to work better with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial governments in Punjab and KP (PTI).
Sources with knowledge of the situation say that the move to improve working relationships will start on Saturday when PML-N-nominated Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman gives the new Punjab cabinet their oath of office in Governor’s House.
They said, “The federal government wants to work better with the Punjab and KP governments.”
Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi gave the new members of the Punjab Cabinet their jobs on Thursday after Imran Khan approved their names.
Sources at the CM’s House say that the 21 members of CM Pervaiz Elahi’s cabinet take oath at the Punjab Governor House. During his visit a few days ago, Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, approved a working cabinet of 18 people for the Punjab government. In the first phase, only PTI ministers would take their oaths.
The members of the Punjab cabinet, who were announced earlier, were each given a portfolio
- Mohsin Laghari is in charge of the Ministry of Finance
- Taimoor Malik is in charge of the Ministry of Sports
- Raja Humayun Yasir is in charge of the Ministry of Information Technology and Higher Education
- Ansar Majeed Niazi is the Minister of Labour
- Raja Bisharat is in charge of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Prosecution
- Shahabuddin is in charge of the Ministry of Livestock
- Muneeb Cheema is in charge of the Ministry
- Murad Raas will be Minister for Schools Education
- Dr. Yasmin Rashid will supervise the Ministry of Health
- Khurrum Virk will oversee the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
- Hashim Dogar will be Minister of Interior and Prisons
- Sardar Asif Nakki will be Minister for Excise and Taxation
- Ali Afzal Sahi will be Minister of Works and Communications
- Nawabzada Mansoor Khan will be the Minister of Revenue
- Hussain Jahanian Gardezi will be the Minister of Agriculture
- Ghazanfar Abbas will be the Minister of Social Welfare
- Latif Nazr will be Minister for Mines and Minerals
- Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dareshek will be the Minister of Food and Energy
- Mehmood ur Rasheed will be Minister of Local Bodies
- Mian Aslam Iqbal will be Minister of Housing and Ali Abbas Shah will be Minister of Forests.
CM seat is enough, no need for other ministers
Monis Illahi, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), said that they don’t need any other ministries because they are in charge of the province.
Thursday, the leader of the PML-Q met with the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the Bani Gala. He told Imran Khan that his party has no more demands. Both leaders talked about how the cabinet will be put together in the Punjab assembly.
After the meeting, the PML-Q leader told the media that he had told the PTI Chief that they had nothing else to ask for now that they were given the Chief Minister’s seat.
