PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah was appointed as adviser to the prime minister on political and public affairs on Tuesday.

A statement from the Presidency said President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice under Article 93(1) of the Constitution.

It added that Sanaullah will hold the rank of a federal minister as well.

Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ a day ago, Sanaullah had confirmed that he had a meeting with the prime minister to include him in the federal government.

He added that the two had ultimately decided for PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to decide the matter after his return from China.

The appointment comes two days after the PML-N government on Sunday appointed Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar — a close confidant of Nawaz — as the deputy prime minister, in a move that took many by surprise, but drew hardly any criticism from its allies.

Sanaullah served as the interior minister in the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government. He managed the PML-N’s electoral campaign for the February 8 general polls but lost NA-100’s (Faisalabad-VI) contest to PTI-backed Dr Nisar Jutt with 112,403 votes against 131,996.