The power corridor: Expansion, reshuffle of cabinet on the cards

Seven new ministers likely to be inducted in the 20-member cabinet.

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leadership is likely to induct seven more ministers in its provincial cabinet and reshuffle the offices of some ministers, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Sources privy to the development said the party had decided to reshuffle the portfolios of some ministers, either at their own request, or on the recommendations of some senior bureaucrats. They said that expansion of the cabinet was long overdue. Pressure from other political parties was one of the reasons why the party had decided to expand the cabinet, they said.

The date for administering oath to the soon-to-be-ministers is yet to be decided – it will either be on Eidul Azha or on Independence Day.

On receiving reports of possible expansion, aspirant PML-N lawmakers have started lobbying to get portfolios of their choice.

Sources have said that the seven new ministers are likely to be Sardar Muhammad Jamal Khan Leghari (PP-245), Zaeem Hussain Qadri (PP-154), Muhammad Manshaullah Butt (PP-123), Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bukht (PP-291), Lt Col (r) Sardar Muhammad Ayub Khan Gadhi (PP-87), Ayesha Ghaus Pasha and Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique.Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had promised Rafique a ministry when he won a provincial assembly seat in the by-elections.

Sources said that the Leghari group, which joined the PML-N after the general elections, was also promised a cabinet portfolio.

MPA Zaeem Hussain Qadri had served as parliamentary secretary for education between 2008 and 2013. He was promised a place in the current cabinet in acknowledgment of his contributions to the government’s laptop distribution scheme. However, he was not made minister after the party won the elections last year. The party obliged him by making his wife an MPA on a reserve seat.

Sources have said that Qadri might be given a portfolio this time. They said he has been lobbying to get the office of education minister.

Currently, Rana Mashhood has the portfolio of education minister in addition to holding the office of law minister.

Sources said that when Rana Sanaullah Khan was removed as law minister following the June 17 riots, Qadri reportedly suggested that Mashhood should accept the additional office and relinquish the education portfolio for him (Qadri) when the cabinet was expanded.

Sources have said that the PML-N leadership believed that Gadhi deserved a place in the cabinet as his family has won the assembly seat from Toba Tek Singh on eight counts. They said the 20-member cabinet was “monitored and operated by bureaucracy”. Some secretaries have recommended that the government should change the portfolio of some ministers who have failed to deliver.

Environment Minister Shuja Khanzada has been lobbying to get office of home minister. He has been lately working to introduce reforms in the Police Department. The chief minister, who keeps the portfolio of home minister, had delegated his powers to Sanaullah.

Parliamentary Secretary on Health Khwaja Imran Nazir is also in the run for a ministry.

Parliamentary Secretary on Information Rana Muhammad Arshad said the chief minister would soon finalise the names for the expanded cabinet.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2014.