15 PML-Q men join federal cabinet
26 June, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The cabinet of the newly elected prime minister, Raja Pervez Ashraf, expanded on Monday with the induction of 15 federal and state ministers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), the coalition partner of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP)-led government in the Centre.
Just within three days, the federal cabinet jumped to 53 from the total strength of 38 members. In the first batch of cabinet members, PML-Q had only one minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, who was inducted as a senior minister. President Asif Ali Zardari administrated oath to the new federal and state ministers at a special ceremony.
Sardar Bahadur Khan Sehar, Liaquat Abbas Bhatti, Sardar Talib Hussain Nakai, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Anwar Ali Cheema, Ghous Bukhsh Mehr, Jam Muhammad Yousaf and Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain took oath as federal ministers, while Rana Asif Tauseef, Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial, Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf, Senator Saeed Khan Mandokhel, Chaudhry Ghias Ahmed Mela, Akram Masih Gill and Khawaja Sheraz Mehmood were inducted as ministers of state.
Although the PML-Q has a sizeable share in the cabinet with the induction of new ministers, some of its stalwarts, like Faisal Hayat, Raza Hayat Hiraj and Syed Riaz Hussain Peerzada, refused to become part of Raja-led cabinet, which suggests strife within the party. When contacted, Riaz Hussain Peerzada told that he had no problem with the PM, but due to certain issues within the party, he had declined to become a federal minister.
Meanwhile, Pervaiz Elahi, who is the defence production and industries minister, has been designated as the deputy prime minister with an immediate effect, a notification issued by Cabinet Division stated.
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