The race is on: PTI continues to wrangle over ministerial slots

Consensus reached on information, health, finance ministries.

PESHAWAR:

As the new government takes charge in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), names for cabinet members are yet to be finalised. Insider party sources say while members will be ‘personally’ picked by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, some PTI MPAs have already been assured a seat at the table.

“There is tough competition between the newly-elected MPAs within inner circles as they all want to secure a position for themselves in the provincial cabinet,” said a senior PTI leader, wishing anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media. “The party’s central leadership has held several consultative meetings with the provincial leadership to form a consensus over the cabinet but little progress has been made. Powerful party leaders are jostling to induct their own favourites in the cabinet.”

According to a power-sharing formula proposed by the PTI to facilitate the formation of the provincial government, the party will get eight ministerial slots out of a total 15. Three ministries each will be given to coalition partners Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) while one minister will be inducted from the Awami Jamhuri Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP).



So far, a consensus has been reached on Shaukat Yousafzai as the information minister, Atif Khan as health minister, Ali Amin Gandapur as finance minister and Amjid Afridi as the special assistant to the chief minister on housing.

Owing to their past experience, the coalition partners were quick to nominate candidates for the cabinet.  The PTI, on the other hand, is yet to make any formal announcement.

Decision making for the PTI has been tricky, especially with the inclusion of eight independent candidates who are also eyeing ministerial slots. Insiders claim independent MPA Israrullah Gandapur, who recently joined the PTI, could be given law ministry.

Additionally, names of other PTI aspirants looking to lay claim to cabinet positions are also cropping up. These include Shah Farman, Ziaullah Afridi, Sardar Idress, Shakil Khan, Mehmood Khan, Dr Amjad, and Dr Mehr Taj Roghani. However, it remains unclear who will end up with a ministry.

Previously, Yusuf Ayub, Yaseen Khalil, Javed Nasim, Arif Yousaf and Imtiaz Shahid were being considered for cabinet positions. According to party sources, however, these names are no longer in the running.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2013.