ISLAMABAD The government has proposed to remove five federal ministers and six state ministers from the cabinet over their unsatisfactory performance. The decision is likely to be implemented by the end of this month.
Reliable sources told DawnNews that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was unsatisfied with the performance of the eleven ministers, said that they will no longer hold their portfolios once the decision is implemented.
Among those who will be removed are federal ministers Humayun Aziz Kurd of Livestock and Dairy Development, Najamuddin Khan of State and Frontier Region, Lal Muhammad Khan of Special Initiative, Shahid Hussain Bhutto of Youth Affairs, Noor-ul-haq Qadri of Zakat and Ushr and state ministers for Defence Arbab Muhammad Zahir, Rafique Ahmed Jamali of Food and Agriculture, Muhammad Tariq Anis of Housing and Works, Abdul Raziq of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Masood Abbas of Local Government and Rural Development, Muhammad Jadam Mangrio of Livestock and Dairy Development from the cabinet.
Four of the federal ministers belong to the Pakistan Peoples Party, while one is an independent politician from FATA. Meanwhile, out of the six state ministers two are from ANP and PPP each and one from Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) who would be removed from the cabinet.
The prime minister had a meeting with the president earlier this week in which he expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of 19 ministers of his ruling party.
Sources confirmed that the government is planning to go ahead with the reshuffle in the federal cabinet and is seeking the removal of nearly two dozen non-performing ministers; however there are fears that the move could result in a backlash from the ministers and their advisors.
The PPP leadership is currently under extreme stress as the decision would cause irreparable political loss.
Meanwhile, sources added that the prime minister has once again offered Senator Raza Rabbani the portfolio of the Minister for Law that is lying vacant, but he has rejected the government's offer.
DawnNews learnt that Rabbani has placed a condition of dissolution of the cabinet if the government wants him to be part of present ministerial setup. -DawnNews
