Daily Times

Within a week after taking the oath of her office, Punjab’s first-ever female Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has finalised names of key cabinet members, sources privy to the matter confirmed Monday.

Maryam, who has become the first woman chief minister in Pakistan’s history, won the elections after obtaining 220 votes in the provincial assembly last week.

Initially, a 15-member provincial cabinet would take the oath of their offices during the next two days, the sources said, adding that the strength of the cabinet would be increased later on.

The well-placed sources said that former security czar Rana Sanaullah would be named as legal adviser to the CM and Marriyum Aurangzeb would be given the portfolio of planning, development, and forests.

The sources, however, said that another proposal about the inclusion of Sanaullah in the federal cabinet was also under consideration.

PML-N leader Uzma Bukhari is likely to be appointed as information minister.

In addition to this, Khawaja Imran Nazir would be given the portfolio of Primary and Secondary Healthcare and Bilal Yaseen would be named as Minister for Food.

Mujtaba Shuja would get the Ministry of Excise. The sources said that Khalid Jajja and Faisal Ayub would be given the portfolios of Water Resources and Housing & Sports respectively.

Salman Naeem, Rana Sikandar, and Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, son of veteran politician Shujaat Hussain would also be part of the provincial cabinet.

Apart from this, PML-N senior leader Parvez Rasheed would be made special assistant to the CM, the sources added.