PM Shehbaz’s 19-member cabinet takes oath
Naveed Ahmad Khan
Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet took oath on Monday, with many old faces returning to his team.
The oath was administered by President Asif Ali Zardari in a ceremony at the President House.
The prime minister had moved a summary containing 19 names who will be appointed as federal ministers to the president of Pakistan. Under the constitution president is the appointing authority for federal minister but functions on the advise of the prime minister.
The summary seen by Aaj News indicates that the cabinet will have a total of 19 members and will include both ministers and advisors. The final portfolios wil be announced in a notification.
There is a strong likelihood that multiple ministries will be held by a combination of advisors and ministers.
Muhammad Aurangzeb will be the advisor on finance, while Azam Nazeer Tarar will be the law minister.
After falling out of the race of finance minister, Ishaq Dar is likely to head the foreign affairs ministry.
Atta Tarar will be minister for information, Khawaja Asif will be minister for defence and Ahsan Iqbal will be minister for planning. Musadik Malik is expected to be made minister of petroleum.
Mohsin Naqvi is likely to be made advisor for interior while Ahad Cheema will also join the cabinet despite serving in the caretaker cabinet.
Here is the full list of cabinet members moved by the PM:
MNAs as federal ministers
Khawaja Asif
Ahsan Iqbal
Tanveer Hussain
Azam Nazeer Tarar
Chaudhry Salik Hussain
Jam Kamal
Amir Muqam
Awais Leghari
Attaullah Tarar
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui
Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh
Riaz Pirzada
Senators as federal ministers
Ishaq Dar
Musadik Malik
Non-parliamentarian ministers
Muhammad Aurangzeb
Ahad Cheema
Mohsin Raza Naqvi
State ministers
Shaza Fatima Khawaja