LAHORE, Jan 5: The Punjab cabinet will have 20 or so new ministers `soon after’ Ashura and the PPP will get its 40 per cent share.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told Dawn on Monday that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had given a go-ahead and the process would be completed soon after Ashura.

The announcement indicates that the two major parties want to keep the coalition in the Punjab intact for the time being.

To a question that the process has been accelerated on the PPP ‘pressure’, Rana though did not agree to the impression but maintained that ‘certainly it will redress its (PPP) grievances’.

Answering another question, the minister ruled out any delay in the cabinet expansion this time.

Since the formation of the provincial government in April last the PPP has been pressing the PML-N expand the cabinet. It recently stepped up pressure when a number of its provincial leaders criticized the chief minister for keeping some 14 ministries with him.

There has been a strong feeling in the PPP camp as well that their legislators are not given their 'due share' in the government.

Responding to Rana’s announcement, Punjab PPP general secretary Samiullah Khan said that his party hoped that this time the PML-N would keep its promise.

About possible nominees from his party, Sami said that Senior Minister Raja Riaz could say anything on it. Riaz was not available for a comment.

In another development, the provincial government on Monday notified award of nine additional portfolios to six PML-N ministers.

Local Bodies Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa has been given additional charge of ministries of urban development and environment, Agriculture Minister Ahmed Ali Olakh ministries of cooperatives, livestock and dairy development, and fisheries and wildlife, Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman ministry of education, Prisons Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor ministry of commerce and investment, Minorities Minister Kamran Michael ministry of women development and Auqaf Minister Ehsanuddin Qureshi ministry of Baitul Maal.

Shahbaz Sharif still retains the portfolios of the health and communication and works.