ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: The inclusion of women ministers in the federal cabinet will be made on priority bases in near future as the ruling coalition is planning to appoint more federal ministers.

This was stated by the advisor to the prime minister on women development, social welfare and special education, Nilofer Bakhtiar, while talking to this reporter. She said women legislators would be given due share in the likely cabinet expansion.

“This is for sure that elected women will be given various responsibilities in the federal cabinet,” the advisor said. However, when asked as to how many women members of the parliament were likely to be appointed as federal ministers, she said: “It is premature to suggest that how many women are being considered for the slots in the federal cabinet as decision in this regard is yet to be taken by the party high-ups,” she said.

Answering a question, Ms Bakhtiar said: “As the prime minister is heading a coalition government, where a number of parties have to be satisfied in terms of share in the federal cabinet, hence, the government is unable to decide on the names of new ministers for the federal cabinet.”

“Merely reservation of women seats in the national and provincial assemblies is not enough and the governments, both at centre and provinces, will include women in their ranks so that they can effectively participate in policy making at higher level for women rights,” the advisor said.

She said, at present, a number of women parliamentarians were vying for a seat in the federal cabinet. Therefore, the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam), being the major coalition partner in the federal government, is facing an uphill task in selecting women legislators to be appointed as federal ministers, she said.

Similarly, with the reservation of 60 women seats in the National Assembly, besides 12 women those who have won elections on general seats, the selection has become even harder.

When asked about provincial governments where only one women legislator — in the Sindh cabinet — has been included in the cabinet, she said: “It is unfortunate that despite reserving women seats in the national and provincial assemblies, they are not being accommodated as cabinet members”.