PPP mulls role in federal cabinet

ISLAMABAD: Following the governors’ appointment in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PPP is mulling a role in the federal cabinet.

It is expected that the PPP would decide whether to join the federal government first or the Punjab government and also the timing of joining.

According to sources in the PPP, though initially the party had decided to keep only the constitutional posts to support the government yet there was an immense pressure from parliamentarians wing of the party to join the federal cabinet. This they said would give positive vibes for the coalition and will be for the sake of political and institutional stability.

Senior leaders of PPP who are in parliament are of the view that the party should join the federal cabinet as well as the Punjab government if it wants to deliver.

Sources in the PPP said when the talks on the formation of government were going on with the PMLN, the party leadership conveyed if the PPP decides to join the cabinet, it should be done on structured mechanism and powers of PPP ministers should be well defined.

However, sources within the PPP said if any decision is taken to join the cabinet, it would only be discussed within the Central Executive Committee, the forum to decide the party policy. Earlier, it was the PPP CEC’s decision to support the coalition government without being a part of the federal cabinet. “And now if the party takes any decision, it should go to the CEC of party for future line of action,” a senior leader of the PPP said.

The senior leader of PPP was also of the view that if there is any pressure from the parliamentarians to join the federal cabinet, there is also resistance within the party. However, sources in the PPP said the decision would be taken on the recommendations of PPP CEC. The sources said the PPP also wants chairmanship of key standing committees of the National Assembly and talks are going on with the PMLN in this regard. A PPP source said that the timing of joining the federal cabinet is important. He said it is being discussed whether to join the cabinet before the budget or afterwards. The sources said if the PPP decided to join the federal government, it is likely that it would get 8 ministries in the first phase. At the same time, the PMLN also wants PPP to join the federal cabinet and share the burden as all the commitments with the PPP have been fulfilled with the appointment of governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.