ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet will be expanded today when President Asif Ali Zardari will swear in some 41 new ministers and ministers of state.
According to ARY OneWorld, the new ministers, belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI), will take oath of their offices in a ceremony to be held in Aiwan-e-Sadr today (Monday).
Interestingly, the name of the Senior Vice Chairman of ruling PPP, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, is topping the long-list, as he will also take oath as Senior Minister in federal cabinet.
Fahim, a prominent critic of his own party’s polices towards various national issues since after President Asif Ali Zardari assumed co-chairmanship of the PPP, was supposed to be sidelined by the new managers of the party captured the scene following assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.
But on Sunday, sources in PPP informed ARY OneWorld that Makhdoom Amin Fahim has accepted the offer of assuming the charge of senior federal minister and will swear in along with 40 others.
PPP leaders including MNA Nabeel Gabool, MNA Mehreen Anwar Raja, Senator Baber Awan and Waqar Ahmed Khan are among those who would officially be inducted in federal cabinet besides two parliamentarians of Awami National Party (ANP), namely Arbab Zahir and Masood Abbas.
The expansion in federal cabinet was on cards since after a major ally of the ruling alliance, Nawaz Sharif-led PML-N, departed its ways from the coalition government on the issue of restoration of judiciary.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani tipped off Saturday that the expansion in federal cabinet might be carried out in a day or two.
PM Gilani on Sunday also extended an official invitation to a major-ally of PPP in Sindh, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), to join in the federal cabinet.
news by apakistannews.com
