ISLAMABAD: With the devolution of five ministries to the provinces under the 18th Amendment, four ministers and a minister of state have lost their portfolios.The federal cabinet had on Dec 1 approved the devolution of these ministries to the provinces.

The cabinet division said on Saturday that Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan, Minister for Population Welfare; Lal Mohammad Khan, Minister for Special Initiatives; Shahid Hussain Bhutto, Minister for Youth Affairs; Noorul Haq Qadri, Minister for Zakat and Ushr; and Masood Abbas, Minister of State for Local Government and Rural Development, had ceased to hold their portfolios from Dec 7.

However, Dr Firdous Awan, who is currently holding an additional charge of the Ministry of Women Development, will continue to enjoy perks of a federal minister.

The next round of devolution of five more ministries to the provinces will be completed by the end of June.

In May this year, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had constituted a nine-member commission, headed by Senator Raza Rabbani, to oversee the implementation process of the 18th Amendment.