Federal cabinet to be reshuffled

PM to award those defending him and his family, according to sources

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to reshuffle the federal cabinet after assessing the performance of the current members in defending the government over Panama leaks. The cabinet may also be expanded to accommodate some people from the allied parties.

Official sources told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity that PM Nawaz has finalised the names of the parliamentarians to be included in the expanded federal cabinet.



Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo of the Balochistan National Party is likely to replace Kamran Michael as the ports and shipping minister, who has been informed about the change. Kamran may still be accommodated in the cabinet in some other ministry, the sources said.

Two young, firebrand parliamentarians, Daniyal Aziz and Talal Chaudhary, who have been defending the government and the prime minister on the Panama leaks, are also likely to be given portfolios.

Senator Mushahidullah Khan, who had to resign earlier after a controversy on civil-military relations, is expected to return to the federal cabinet.

Some more are likely to lose their positions as well. The highest chance of removal from the federal cabinet is of Marvi Memon, the sources said.



The Benazir Income Support Programme chairperson has been declining offers to appear in television talk shows to defend the prime minister and the Sharif family. Marvi is going to lose whatever statuses she has been enjoying after her refusal to defend PM Nawaz and his family members on national media, the sources said.

Marvi is likely to be replaced by Maryam Aurangzeb, who has strongly defended the premier during the ongoing crisis.

The Fazlur Rehman-led Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam might get some more share in the expanded cabinet courtesy of the Maulana’s unrelenting support of the prime minister amid the Panama leaks controversy, the sources added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2016.