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Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to reshuffle the current 48-member cabinet by inducting some new faces-a much awaited decision postponed due to one political compulsion or another, informed sources revealed. Sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that a few more members would be joining the federal cabinet soon, as indicated by Prime Minister Imran Khan during the recent meeting of the core committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The prime minister reportedly told the committee members that those ministers not performing as per expectation will have to go.

Currently, there are 24 federal ministers, four ministers of state, five advisers and 15 special assistants in Prime Minister Khan's team and as per previous commitment there is the likelihood of an additional one ministerial position each for Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

A senior PTI leader privy to the development told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that consultation process in this regard is under way and new faces will soon take oath.

Primarily, those cabinet members who are holding charges of more than one ministry are likely to be relieved of one charge by accommodating new people, he added.

Sources further said that Asad Omar is likely to be given a new responsibility in the cabinet. Omar, former finance minister, was summarily dismissed through a WhatsApp message and replaced with Hafeez Shaikh as adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue with the status of Federal Minister in April this year.

The Prime Minister had earlier offered Ministry of Petroleum to Asad Omar and sources speculate that he may be offered the portfolio currently held by Nadeem Babar though with the status of a full minister.

Babar Awan is also expected to receive a portfolio as adviser or special assistant to the Prime Minister. There are also speculations that Interior Minister Ijaz Shah may be replaced with someone else on health grounds as the Prime Minister is reportedly not satisfied with his performance.

Shahfqat Mehmood, who is federal minister for Federal Education and Professional Training with additional charge of National History and Literary Heritage Division, will retain one ministry and the additional one will be given to someone else.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who is Federal Minister for Railways, is likely to retain the portfolio notwithstanding the appalling performance of the ministry including 74 train accidents during his tenure (against 67 in 2017-18). During the current year, eight accidents have already been reported including the latest Tezgam Express in which 75 people lost their lives.

Furthermore, the overall punctuality of trains declined from 76 percent in 2017-18 to 71 percent in 2018-19 and passengers continue to be severely inconvenienced due to prolonged train delays. Railways deficit remained almost the same at around Rs 36.5 billion in 2018-19 compared to Rs 37 billion in 2017-18, showing no significant reduction in the deficit.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019

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