Federal cabinet may comprise 25 members in 1st phase

Following the recently-concluded general elections, discussions on the composition of the new federal cabinet are underway, with the possibility of a 25-member cabinet in its initial phase.

The PML-N leadership, comprising Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, engaged in a crucial meeting to review the party's interactions with various allies and considered the names of potential cabinet members, sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif briefed his elder brother on the party's alliances and deliberated on potential candidates for the federal cabinet. In the first phase, the cabinet is expected to have 25 members, with MQM-P likely to secure three to five ministries.

Leaders from MQM-P, including Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar, Mustafa Kamal, Aminul Haque, and Khawaja Izharul Hasan, are being considered for key positions within the federal cabinet, according to PML-N sources.

PML-N has shortlisted 15 senior leaders for ministerial roles, including Ishaq Dar, Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Riazul Haq Juj, Bilal Azhar Kayani, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Qamarul Islam Raja, and Rana Tanveer Hussain.

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Awn Chaudry from the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) is expected to be appointed as the special assistant to the prime minister.

In earlier reports, the PML-N outlined an initial power-sharing formula for the upcoming federal government. The formula suggests that if the coalition agrees to appoint a PML-N candidate as the prime minister, the positions of president and speaker would go to the PPP.

On Tuesday, Shehbaz emerged as a leading contender for the premiership, garnering support from former coalition partners, including PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, BAP, and IPP. Nawaz Sharif strategically nominated his younger brother for the premiership and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, for the role of Punjab chief minister.

A joint news conference held in Islamabad featured prominent political figures, including Shehbaz, Asif Ali Zardari from PPP, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui from MQM-P, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from PML-Q, Sadiq Sanjrani (representing BAP), and Aleem Khan from IPP. They expressed unequivocal support for Shehbaz and pledged to address the country's challenges collaboratively in a coalition government.

While the details of the power-sharing formula remain undisclosed, the conference hinted at Zardari's potential candidacy for the presidency in the near future.