LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan has received reports of one-year performance of Punjab cabinet members and will shortly ‘decide” the fate of “low performers”.

The prime minister had earlier visited Lahore and met the chief minister on July 19. The very next day, ahead of 15th cabinet meeting, the chief minister had shuffled the portfolios of six ministers though most of them remained clueless why it was done.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq confirmed on Saturday that Punjab ministers’ performance reports had been received and the prime minister would peruse these and make his opinion.

Naeem says NAB did more damage than good to country

Stating that some portfolios in Punjab were also lying unattended and needed to be assigned, Mr Haq added the prime minister and chief minister had the prerogative to remove ministers or change their portfolios.

However, Mr Haq denied there was anything cooking for a big change in the province. “There is absolutely nothing [being] considered for any [big] change in Punjab as rumours were making rounds on electronic media,” he said.

With regard to the relations with allied party PML-Q, Mr Haq said the PTI government had cordial relations with the Chaudhry brothers and he was in contact with them. He said the PML-Q had one ministry and three MNAs in the National Assembly.

He claimed the Q leaders had pledged in a meeting they would never make any contact with the PML-N leadership.

Answering a question about keeping Aleem Khan away, he alleged the NAB had done more damage than good to the country. He said a new ordinance would be promulgated that would restrict the NAB from laying hands on businessmen and bureaucrats. “Fearing NAB action, the businessmen are not investing and bureaucrats not signing files,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2019