Inclusion of Ch Monis Elahi, scion of the Speaker Punjab Assembly in the federal cabinet, may give an impression of being " blackmailed" by PML(Q), prompting the Imran Khan-led administration to put expansion in the federal cabinet "on ice" for the time being, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
Last week, there was intense speculation that Ch Monis Elahi will take oath as Federal Minister of Industries and Production this week which is being run by the Prime Minister's Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood, a very close friend of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Insiders claim that Dawood took the advisor ship on the assurance that no full minister would be appointed to interfere in the affairs of his ministries.
However, Chaudrys of Gujrat have a special interest in the Ministry of Industries and Production. During the PPP government, Ch Pervez Elahi was Minister for Industries with the status of Deputy Prime Minister. His brother-in-law, Anwar Cheema was Minister for Industries and Production.
Insiders claim that as reports appeared in the media that Monis Elahi was being inducted in the federal cabinet, Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Political Affairs/Chief of Staff, Naeem-ul-Haq rushed to Lahore and discussed the issue with Ch Shujaat and Monis Elahi in the absence of Ch Pervez Elahi who is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah where he met with chief minister, Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar.
After the meeting, Naeem-ul-Haq informed the media that "When" the federal cabinet will be expanded one minister will be taken from PML (Q) as per quota. Both sides reiterated their support for each other.
Political analysts maintain that expansion in the federal cabinet has been delayed for the time being as any such decision may have given the impression that the PML(Q) had successfully " blackmailed" the government.
The establishment reportedly gave this advice to the government and PML(Q).