The Cabinet Division has officially issued a notification confirming the appointment of 12 federal ministers and nine ministers of state. Additionally, notifications for three advisers and four special assistants to the prime minister were issued on Thursday.
New Inductions in the Federal Cabinet
The latest appointments mark a significant expansion of the federal cabinet, with portfolios for the newly inducted members to be announced later. The newly appointed federal ministers include:
- PML-N: Hanif Abbasi, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Sardar Yousuf, Rana Mubasher, Raza Hayat Hiraj, Junaid Anwar, Shaza Fatima, Moin Wattoo
- MQM: Mustafa Kamal
- Balochistan Awami Party: Khalid Magsi
- Independent: Aurangzeb Khichi
Ministers of State Take Oath
Nine ministers of state also took the oath, representing different political parties:
- Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party: Aun Chaudhry
- PML-N: Barrister Aqeel, Malik Rashid, Talal Chaudhry, Abdul Rehman Kanju, Bilal Azhar Kayani, Dr. Mukhtar Bharath, Wajih Qamar, Khel Das
However, Armaghan Subhani and Shazra Mansab were unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony and will take their oaths at a later date.
New Advisers and Special Assistants
According to the notification, three individuals have been appointed as advisers to the prime minister, each with the status of a federal minister:
- Pervaiz Khattak
- Muhammad Ali
- Toqir Hussain Shah
Additionally, four special assistants to the prime minister have been appointed:
- Haroon Akhtar
- Huzaifa Rehman
- Mubarak Zeb
- Talha Barki
Significant Cabinet Expansion
In the initial phase of the cabinet expansion, 12 federal ministers and nine ministers of state took the oath, while three advisers were also appointed. However, one federal minister and two ministers of state are yet to be sworn in.
With these appointments, the size of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet has grown from 24 to 51 members. Moreover, Ali Pervaiz Malik and Shaza Fatima have been promoted from ministers of state to federal ministers.
Total Cabinet Strength
Following the expansion, the Shehbaz Sharif cabinet now consists of:
- 31 federal ministers
- 11 ministers of state
- 4 advisers
- 3 special assistants
The government is expected to announce the respective portfolios for the newly appointed ministers, advisers, and special assistants in due course.
