ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehryar Afridi on Friday took the oath as the minister of state for interior, increasing the total number of cabinet members to 22.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to Mr Afridi in a ceremony held at President House.

Though Mr Afridi took the oath of his office on Friday he was among those who visited the General Headquarters with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday. Others included Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umer, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak.

Mr Afridi also attended a briefing given by officials of the interior ministry last week. The meeting had hinted that Mr Afridi had been chosen for the office of the interior minister although there was no official word about it.

With induction of Mr Afridi, the number of ministers in the federal cabinet has gone up to 17 with five advisers.

Before the appointment of Mr Afridi, PM Khan had not appointed a federal minister for interior and kept this portfolio with him.

Now it is expected that Mr Afridi will fully look after the affairs of the interior ministry under direct guidance of the prime minister.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2018