Around three dozens new ministers and ministers of state are expected to be inducted in the federal cabinet after the government has accepted the resignations of the PML (N) ministers. Informed sources told Business Recorder that a lion's share in the ministries was being given to the PPP followed by the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM).
The Awami National Party (ANP) and the Jamiat-ul-Ulema Islam (Fazal) will get two slots each in the cabinet. The PPP also wants to reward the PML (Q) forward bloc parliamentarians for supporting Asif Ali Zardari in presidential vote. According to the sources, some of the names of the ministers are being finalised. Some circles in the PPP were of the view that the government must induct the new ministers immediately so that it could function properly.
Presently, most of the ministers are overburdened as they are running more than two ministries. As a result they are unable to deliver. However, the PPP top leadership opines that the induction of the ministers should not be done in hurry. It wants that this work should be done after proper consultations with allied parties, the sources added.
According to the sources, some names including Ijaz Jhakrani, Nabeel Gabol, Yusuf Talpur, Rafiq Jamali, Aftab Shaban Mirani, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Asif Ahmad Ali and some others from the PPP are being considered for the ministerial slots. However, the sources said that these names are final.
There are some reports that Makhdoom Amin Fahim who was not happy with PPP leadership after he was not picked up by his party for the Prime Minister, may be given the slot of senior minister. However, it is not clear as what is the response of Amin Fahim.
Those who are expected to be included in the cabinet from the MQM are Haider Abbas Rizvi, Waseem Akhtar, Babar Ghauri, Farooq Sattar and some others, the source said. From the ANP Arbab Zahir and Abdul Mateen Khan are expected to be given the slots ministers of state. The names from JUI are still being finalised. The sources also disclosed that Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman is interested to lead the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir. This proposal is under the consideration of the government, the sources added.