Deciding K-P cabinet : 11 names to be sent for PTI chief’s nod
Jhagra, Inamullah, Ayub amongst new faces named
Jhagra, Inamullah, Ayub amongst new faces named PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR:
The newly elected provincial government, which was sworn in last week, has finalised a list of 11 names for the provincial cabinet and has been sent to the party’s chairman and the country’s prime minister Imran Khan for approval.
The list has been finalised after the party managed to iron out issues between various senior ministers who had expressed their desire to handle new portfolios rather than continuing with old ones, as per the wish of the party.
Sources in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have said that a tentative list has been prepared for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan’s cabinet with lawmakers from Peshawar and Malakand expected to get two ministries, while those from Mardan, Swabi, Bannu, Hazara and Nowshera also to get a ministry each.
The list reportedly includes the names of first-time provincial assembly member Taimur Saleem Jhagra and former forests minister Ishtiaq Urmar from Peshawar. The names of former housing minister Dr Amjad Ali and Shakeel Khan from Swat and Malakand districts respectively have also been included. From Mardan, former elementary and secondary education minister Atif Khan is expected to make a return to the provincial cabinet. Joining him will be former provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai from Swabi. Former special assistant to the chief minister for transport and mass transit Shah Mohammad Khan from Bannu will this time get a full ministry.
Similarly, from Haripur, former minister for communications and works Akbar Ayub and his brother Arshad Ayub have been included. Nowshera will also be represented through the former minister for excise and taxation Mian Jamshed and former advisor to chief minister Mian Khaliqur Rehman.
However, from Nowshera, only one of the two will get a portfolio in the cabinet. Anyone who is elected on the seats vacated by former chief minister Pervez Khattak in Nowshera is expected to be adjusted in the cabinet.
From Lakki Marwat Hisham Inamullah will also be adjusted in the cabinet.
Like last time, no woman has been included in the provincial cabinet. Moreover, so far there is no inclusion of any minority member in the suggested lineup.
Sources say former health minister Shahram Tarakai is interested in retaining his status of a senior minister with his preferred portfolios this time including local government along with the planning and development ministries, Atif, who worked tirelessly on education and power, is interested in finance along with the departments of sports, culture and tourism.
Sources claim that Jhagra, considered to be highly educated with experience of working abroad, may be asked to fill Atif’s massive shoes in the education sector - both elementary and higher education. Senior PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, when asked about the composition of the new cabinet, said, “The final selection will be made by Imran Khan.”
Keeping in line with the demand for austerity outlined by Prime Minister Imran, sources say the provincial cabinet will be kept small to avoid any unnecessary expenditures. This is signified by the 11 names proposed for the new cabinet as opposed to the 16 in PTI’s last provincial government in K-P when it also had to accommodate members from its coalition party, the Jamaat-e-Islami who had two seats.
But with no such pressures this time, the party is expected to follow its agenda to the letter.
With the party chief busy with his own oath-taking as the 22nd prime minister of the country and thereafter oath taking of his cabinet, Imran is expected to finalise the names later this week with the K-P cabinet members expected to take oath on August 25.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2018.
The newly elected provincial government, which was sworn in last week, has finalised a list of 11 names for the provincial cabinet and has been sent to the party’s chairman and the country’s prime minister Imran Khan for approval.
The list has been finalised after the party managed to iron out issues between various senior ministers who had expressed their desire to handle new portfolios rather than continuing with old ones, as per the wish of the party.
Sources in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have said that a tentative list has been prepared for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan’s cabinet with lawmakers from Peshawar and Malakand expected to get two ministries, while those from Mardan, Swabi, Bannu, Hazara and Nowshera also to get a ministry each.
The list reportedly includes the names of first-time provincial assembly member Taimur Saleem Jhagra and former forests minister Ishtiaq Urmar from Peshawar. The names of former housing minister Dr Amjad Ali and Shakeel Khan from Swat and Malakand districts respectively have also been included. From Mardan, former elementary and secondary education minister Atif Khan is expected to make a return to the provincial cabinet. Joining him will be former provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai from Swabi. Former special assistant to the chief minister for transport and mass transit Shah Mohammad Khan from Bannu will this time get a full ministry.
Similarly, from Haripur, former minister for communications and works Akbar Ayub and his brother Arshad Ayub have been included. Nowshera will also be represented through the former minister for excise and taxation Mian Jamshed and former advisor to chief minister Mian Khaliqur Rehman.
However, from Nowshera, only one of the two will get a portfolio in the cabinet. Anyone who is elected on the seats vacated by former chief minister Pervez Khattak in Nowshera is expected to be adjusted in the cabinet.
From Lakki Marwat Hisham Inamullah will also be adjusted in the cabinet.
Like last time, no woman has been included in the provincial cabinet. Moreover, so far there is no inclusion of any minority member in the suggested lineup.
Sources say former health minister Shahram Tarakai is interested in retaining his status of a senior minister with his preferred portfolios this time including local government along with the planning and development ministries, Atif, who worked tirelessly on education and power, is interested in finance along with the departments of sports, culture and tourism.
Sources claim that Jhagra, considered to be highly educated with experience of working abroad, may be asked to fill Atif’s massive shoes in the education sector - both elementary and higher education. Senior PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, when asked about the composition of the new cabinet, said, “The final selection will be made by Imran Khan.”
Keeping in line with the demand for austerity outlined by Prime Minister Imran, sources say the provincial cabinet will be kept small to avoid any unnecessary expenditures. This is signified by the 11 names proposed for the new cabinet as opposed to the 16 in PTI’s last provincial government in K-P when it also had to accommodate members from its coalition party, the Jamaat-e-Islami who had two seats.
But with no such pressures this time, the party is expected to follow its agenda to the letter.
With the party chief busy with his own oath-taking as the 22nd prime minister of the country and thereafter oath taking of his cabinet, Imran is expected to finalise the names later this week with the K-P cabinet members expected to take oath on August 25.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2018.