ISLAMABAD: Despite tall claims of adopting austerity measures and keeping the federal cabinet ‘small’, the government continues to expand the cabinet as another PML-N leader has been included in it.

Tariq Fazal was administered the oath as minister of state by President Mam­­­noon Hussain on Monday.

With the latest induction, the federal cabinet’s strength has become 38 – 19 federal ministers, 10 ministers of state, six special assistants to prime minister and three advisers to PM.

Also read: Tariq Fazal new CADD minister

When the PML-N government was formed in 2013, the cabinet consisted of 21 members. And though the number of ministers has now grown to 38, two ministers — Khawaja Asif and Pervaiz Rashid — are still holding two portfolios each. Mr Asif is working as the minister for water and power as well as defence while Mr Rashid has the portfolios of information and law and justice.

A minister of state, Baleeghur Rehman, also has two portfolios, those of education and narcotics.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2015