March 20, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 11, 1429

LAHORE, March 19: After deciding in principle the number of ministries the PPP, PML-N, the Awami National Party and JUI-F will get in the cabinet, the coalition partners have started discussing the allocation of portfolios.

According to sources, the PPP may get the ministries of finance, defence, interior, law, information, education and Kashmir affairs. PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar is likely to be the finance minister.

The ministries of foreign affairs, commerce and health are likely to go to the PML-N.

JUI-F sources said that the chairmanship of the Kashmir committee and the Council of Islamic Ideology would be given to the party of Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The ANP has said that it is with the new coalition more to advance its political agenda than to get ministries. However, the sources said the ANP would be given representation in the cabinet according to its numerical strength in the assembly.