PPP likely to join cabinet

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is likely to join the coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expected to get between seven and 10 slots in the cabinet besides constitutional offices.

According to sources, if the PPP gives its consent, the federal cabinet is likely to be sworn in either Friday (today) or within 48 hours.

The sources said an understanding on PPP's joining the cabinet was reached in a meeting of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday at the Prime Minister’s House.

Mr Zardari and Bilawal had called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to greet him on assuming office.

They said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wanted Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to be part of the cabinet as foreign minister.

The sources said if the PPP joins the cabinet, Syed Khursheed Shah, Senator Farooq H Naek, Senator Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar, Shazia Marri, Hina Rabbani Khar would be key contenders. Ministries of Law, Parliamentary Affairs, and Human Rights could be allotted to the PPP.

Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is still a serious contender for the post of speaker of the National Assembly. The PPP is likely to hold its meeting to take the final decision in a day or two.

Besides the PPP, the PMLN is holding negotiations with the MQMP on cabinet formation. The sources said that the federal cabinet will have 12 ministers from the PMLN and seven to 10 from the PPP, four from the JUIF, two from the MQM, one each from the BNP (Mengal), the BAP and the ANP.

Shazain Bugti of the Jamhoori Watan Party, Mohsin Dawar, Aslam Bhootani and Tariq Bashir Cheema (PMLQ) are likely to be included in federal cabinet. Geo News adds: MQMP will get the governorship of Sindh, PPP Punjab, JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and BNP-M Balochistan, sources said. For the ministries of finance, interior, and information, Miftah Ismail, Rana Sanaullah, and Marriyum Aurangzeb, respectively, are hot favourities.