Another reshuffle in Punjab cabinet

In a surprise move, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has reshuffled his cabinet and changed portfolios of provincial ministers, including bigwigs like Muhammad Basharat Raja and Dr Yasmin Rashid.

As per the notification of the new portfolios, Raja has been removed from the office of Minister for Public Prosecution and the charge has been given to Brig (retd) Muhammad Musaddiq Abbasi.

Raja has been assigned the portfolios of Parliamentary Affairs and Environmental Protection.

Similarly, Dr Yasmin Rashid has been removed from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Health and has been appointed as Minister for Specialised Health and Medical Education.

The charge of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department has been given to Akhtar Malik.

Arsalan Khalid has been given the portfolio of Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), the office previously held by Raja Yasir Humayun. Khurram Virk has been removed from the office of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. Most of these ministers were appointed last week, on August 7.

Meanwhile, Punjab chief minister ordered immediate recruitment of 664 vacant posts for differently abled persons. He directed the Punjab Special Education Department to send the summary to his office on the same day.

During a meeting with a delegation of physically-challenged persons called the CM at his office on Monday, who lamented that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) -led government ignored problems of disabled persons.

They are children of the nation and the government will solve their on priority, he added. He also announced to increase conveyance allowance for the blind, dumb, deaf and other differently abled employees in all government institutions of Punjab, upgradation of posts and recruitment against 664 vacant posts.

He issued directions to resolve their issues without delay and informed them that the provincial government will give Rs10,000 monthly conveyance allowance to differently-abled persons. He also announced upgrading posts for disabled employees in all the provincial government departments and explained that posts for all those who cannot walk or hear would be upgraded.

Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, finance secretary and others were also present in the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2022.