Imran greenlights 18-member Punjab cabinet sans PML-Q

Days after securing the political heartland through its PML-Q candidate Parvez Elahi, PTI chief Imran Khan has given his nod to an eighteen-member Punjab cabinet in which no member of PML-Q has been included, it emerged on Tuesday.

The PTI sources disclosed that the PTI chief and Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi finalised these names after deliberations.

In the first phase, only ministers from the PTI would take oath as no member from the PML-Q has been inducted into the cabinet as the party chief also withdrew two ministries that were given to the PML-Q in the former chief minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar's cabinet. Earlier, two ministers of the PML-Q were part of the Buzdar-led cabinet.

Sources indicated that Dr Yasmin Rashid is likely to get the Ministry of Health, Mian Aslam Iqbal is expected to get the Ministry of Housing and Works, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed Ministry of Local Government and Dr Murad Rass Ministry of Education.

Similarly, Hashim Jawan Bakht is likely to bag the finance ministry, Khurram Shahzad Virk would get the Ministry of Law and Justice, Muhammad Basharat Raja the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Muhammad Hashim Dogar the Ministry of Interior and Raja Yassir Humayun would get the Ministry of Higher Education.

Others who would get some portfolios in Punjab Cabinet include Fayaz-ul-Hassan Chohan, Chaudhry Latif Nazar Gujjar, Mohsin Khan Leghari and Ali Afzal Sahi. However, the time and date of the oath-taking ceremony of these ministers are yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, the PTI has appointed the former premier of the province Sardar Usman Buzdar as its parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly. Notification of his appointment has also been issued.

Earlier, this portfolio was given to Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed.