Daily Times

In a formal ceremony held at the Governor House in Lahore, the 18-member Punjab cabinet has taken their oaths of office. Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman administered the oath to the provincial cabinet, as reported by Express News.

Among the dignitaries present was Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who witnessed the swearing-in ceremony. The event marked the official induction of the newly appointed ministers into their roles.

The cabinet members, including Marriyum Aurangzeb, Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah, and Khawaja Salman Rafique, stood before Governor Rehman to pledge their commitment to serving the province.

In her address, CM Maryam extended her congratulations to the newly sworn-in ministers and conveyed her best wishes to them. She highlighted the weight of the responsibility placed upon their shoulders, emphasising the high expectations the people of Punjab hold for their government.

“Insha’Allah, we will fulfil the public’s expectations,” she affirmed, underscoring her determination to lead her team in serving the populace diligently. “My team and I pledge to serve the people from this day onwards,” she added, outlining her commitment to addressing the needs and concerns of Punjab’s residents. On February 26, Maryam Nawaz was elected as Punjab’s Chief Minister, marking the first-ever instance of a woman assuming this position in the country. Maryam secured victory by defeating the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan, with an overwhelming 220 votes. Rana Aftab failed to secure a single vote, leading to protests by PTI members outside the assembly, chanting slogans of Imran Khan. Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan presided over the session during the historic voting process.

Meanwhile, 15-member cabinet of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa also took the oath during a ceremony in K-P Governor House in Peshawar. The oath was administered by K-P Governor Haji Ghulam Ali. The ceremony was attended by the Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Secretary, and other officials.

Those who took the oath included Arshad Ayub Khan, Shakil Ahmed, Fazal Hakeem, Mohammad Adnan Qadri, Aaqibullah Khan, Mohammad Sajjad, Meena Khan, Fazal Shakoor, Nazir Ahmad Abbasi, Pakhtun Yar Khan, Aftab Alam, Khaliqur Rahman, Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Faisal Tarkai, and Zahir Shah. Meanwhile, the advisors to the chief minister, Syed Fakhr Jahan, Muzammil Aslam, Barrister Mohammad Ali Safi, Mashal Azam, and Zahid Chand Zaib, will also be part of the cabinet.

In the first phase, the total number of cabinet members has been set at 20. According to sources, portfolios will be allotted to the advisors and ministers within a day or two. On Monday, PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur took oath as the chief minister of K-P during a ceremony in Peshawar. Governor Ghulam Ali administered the oath to Gandapur. On this occasion, the party leaders and workers attended the oath-taking ceremony in large numbers. The chief secretary, inspector general of police and principal secretary to the CM welcomed him.

A police contingent presented a guard of honour to the CM. Top officials of the provincial government met with the CM in his office.