18-member Punjab cabinet takes oath

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman Wednesday administered oath to 18 newly-appointed ministers of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz-led provincial government.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Governor’s House.  

Marriyum Aurangzeb was administered the oath as senior minister, while Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah, Rana Sikandar Hayat, Khawaja Imran Nazeer, Khawaja Sulman Rafiq, and Zeeshan Rafique were sworn in as minister.

The other ministers include Bilal Akbar Khan, Sohaib Ahmed Malik, Azma Zahid Bokhari, Bilal Yasin, Ramesh Singh Arora, Khalil Tahir, Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Shafay Hussain, Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani, Sohail Shoukat Butt, and Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman.    

The members of the Punjab cabinet would be allocated portfolios later on by the provincial chief executive.

However, sources privy to the matter said that ministries of Planning and Development, Environment and Forests would be assigned to Aurangzeb. Bokhari is likely to be the Minister for Information and Culture. The portfolio of agriculture would be allocated to Ashiq Hussain and Ramesh Singh would be assigned Ministry of Minorities, the sources added.

Talking to journalists after the oath-taking ceremony, CM Maryam lauded her newly appointed cabinet members and said: “Very talented and young people are indicted in the cabinet.”

“Foreign-educated and experienced people have been made part of the Punjab Cabinet,” she added.

It is pertinent to mention that PML-N’s Malik Ahmed Khan and Malik Zaheer Ahmed Channer will serve as the House's speaker and deputy speaker, respectively.

PMLN sources indicate that a significant reshuffle in Punjab’s bureaucracy is being considered. Interviews with officers have reportedly begun, and many government officials are seeking political support to retain or obtain lucrative positions.