Shehbaz Sharif allocates portfolios to federal ministers

ISLAMABAD: After the 19-member federal cabinet was sworn in by President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday, it is imperative to see who was handed what portfolio in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's team which includes both old and new faces.

Among those included in the Centre's primary executive body, are former Punjab caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi who has been given the portfolio of interior minister along with narcotics control.

Whereas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance have been given to Ishaq Dar and veteran banker Muhammad Aurangzeb.

Meanwhile, bureaucrat Ahad Cheema, who was also part of the caretaker government, will head Economic Affairs with the additional portfolio of Establishment Division.

Moreover, Khawaja Asif has been named as defence minister and he would also hold the additional portfolios of defence production and aviation. Ahsan Iqbal would retain the planning, development and special Initiatives ministry.

State Minister Shaza Fatima Khwaja was not assigned a portfolio on Monday but PM Shehbaz assigned her the Ministry of Information Technology Tuesday morning.