Recruitment drive: 11 new ministers sworn in

Government has yet to announce specific portfolios

LAHORE: The 11 newly inducted ministers of the Punjab cabinet took the oath of office in a ceremony at the Governor’s House on Monday. Governor Rafique Rajwana administered the oath to the new cabinet members.

Jehangir Khanzada, Naghma Mushtaq, Amanatullah Khan Shadi Khel, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Sheikh Allauddin, Muhammad Mansha Ullah Butt, Mehr Ijaz Ahmad Achlana, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Naeem Akhtar Khan Bhabha and Malik Ahmed Yar Hanjra took the oath. MPA Syed Raza Gillani’s could not take oath due to his engagements abroad.

Moreover, three advisers Khawaja Imran Nazir, Rana Maqbool Ahmed and Azmul Haq and two special assistants Rana Arshad and Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan were also sworn in.

The government has not announced the specific portfolios of the new ministers but in most likelihood Khawaja Salman will get the health ministry, Zaeem will be the in-charge of the information ministry while Jehangir will get the home department. After the induction of new members, the cabinet size has swelled to 31.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, senior government officials and family members of the new appointed cabinet members witnessed oath taking ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2016.