LAHORE: Four more ministers were inducted into the Punjab cabinet on Friday, increasing its strength to 10.

But, unlike the federal and three other provincial caretaker set-ups where at least one woman each has been installed as minister, no woman has been included in the Punjab cabinet.

The four new ministers who took oath of their offices are Saeedullah Babur, Sardar Tanvir Ilyas, Mian Nauman Kabir and Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq.

Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari attended the oath-taking ceremony at the Governor’s House where Governor Rafique Rajwana administered the oath.

Dr Askari later chaired the second meeting of the caretaker cabinet and congratulated new members while advising his cabinet colleagues to practically prove that the interim set-up was totally apolitical.

He said full attention should be given to the holding of transparent elections and that they were empowered to take decisions of their respective departments.

He said he would be always available to them and that decisions would be taken with mutual consultations.

He said responsibilities of line departments would be increased close to election time making everyone to work sincerely for achieving the goal of peaceful, free and fair elections.

The provincial ministers reposed their trust in the leadership of Dr Askari and vowed that mandate of public service and timely elections would be fulfilled.

Portfolios of the new ministers are asunder: Saeedullah Babur, HUD&PHE, environment and cooperative departments; Sardar Tanvir Ilyas, agriculture, food, and P&D departments; Mian Nauman Kabir, lLivestock, laboure & human resource, and transport departments; and Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq higher and school education.

Meanwhile, additional charge of HUD&PHE has been withdrawn from local government and energy minister Zafar Mahmood and notifications to the effect have been issued.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2018