PM to introduce new faces in cabinet

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to expand the cabinet and it is said that four to five new ministers will likely be inducted into the cabinet in the coming week.

According to a report, it could not be confirmed whether anyone from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) or other allied parties will also join the cabinet.

One of the prime minister’s close aides, Dr Tauqeer Shah, could be made part of the cabinet. He has served as the prime minister’s principal secretary in the current and PDM governments.

Dr Tauqeer is currently serving at the World Bank and the prime minister has called him back. It is also reported that he met the prime minister on Wednesday upon his arrival in Pakistan.

Other possible candidates for cabinet inductees include Hanif Abbasi, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Barrister Aqeel Malik, and Talal Chaudhry.

It is also reported that Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has also confirmed his inclusion in the cabinet.

The media reports suggest that during the last meeting of the PML-N parliamentary party, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had hinted that some new faces would be included in the cabinet and the portfolios of some ministers could be changed.

The Prime Minister is expected to meet with the new potential ministers before joining the cabinet. It is believed that Senator Khalil Tahir Sindhu and Ikhtiar Wali are also under consideration for the ministry.

It is pertinent to note that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s 19-member cabinet was formed on March 11, 2024.