The PML-N has decided upon members of the incoming cabinet under incumbent Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, sources in PM House revealed to DawnNews on Friday.
The new federal cabinet is expected to consist of 46 ministers and state ministers, the sources said.
The cabinet will reportedly take oath on Friday morning, the sources added, naming a few of the appointments which have apparently been decided on by the party.
List of appointments shared with DawnNews:
- Khurram Dastagir: defence minister
- Ahsan Iqbal: interior minister
- Khawaja Asif: foreign minister
- Ishaq Dar: finance minister
- Saira Afzal Tarar: health minister
- Marriyum Aurangzeb: information minister
- Darshan Laal: interprovincial coordination minister
- Balighur Rehman: religious affairs minister
- Saad Rafique: railways minister
- Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch: states and frontier regions (safron) minister
Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar has been left out of Abbasi's cabinet.
Talal Chaudhry, Daniyal Aziz, Abdur Rehman Kanju, Arshad Leghari, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Jawed Ali and Ikram Khan are expected to be appointed ministers of state, the sources said.
The latest development comes hours after the PML-N's top brass held two back-to-back consultative meetings at Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's Donga Gali residence.
The party has been deliberating over membership of the new cabinet over the past few days, as well as its contender for the upcoming NA-120 by-poll for the seat left vacant by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
The federal cabinet was dissolved after Sharif stepped down following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Papers case.
The court in its July 28 verdict concluded that Sharif had been 'dishonest' by not declaring in his nomination papers for the 2013 General Election ─ as required under Section 12(2)(f) of the Representation of the People Act (ROPA), 1976 ─ a salary of 10,000 dirhams receivable as chairman of the board of Dubai-based company Capital FZE owned by his son Hassan Nawaz.
Following the prime minister's ouster, PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was nominated as the party's choice for interim prime minister. He was elected premier by MNAs on Tuesday, and took oath the same day.
Abbasi, in his maiden speech to the National Assembly following his election, put forward his vision to improve the socio-economic conditions and security situation in the country, showing that he has some personal ambitions apart from PML-N guidelines.
Otherwise reserved and media-shy Abbasi, who surprised members and visitors alike with his wit and backhanded attacks on opponents, vowed to broaden the tax net to include every affluent individual, "including those sitting in the house".
He also vowed to take steps to improve education, health and agriculture sectors in the country.
"Be it the government, bureaucracy, opposition or the intelligence agencies — we are in the same boat, and a hole in this boat will sink everyone," he said.
"I am the country’s prime minister. If I am here for 45 days, I will do 45 months of work in this time," he promised.
