PPP to expand Cabinet gradually

Other than the PPP chosen Advisors like the one already done for Finance, most of the party parliamentarians aspiring to be inducted in the Federal Cabinet would get the Minister of State slots. At the same time, the sources added, the Federal Ministers’ slots left vacant by the PML-N would be filled up by the parliamentarians nominated by the coalition partners.

The sources revealed to The Nation that the Awami National Party was getting more favourite as compared to the rest of the coalition partners including the MQM and the JUI-F for its extended role in the war on terror mostly surrounding the NWFP. The sources were of the view that the JUI-F of Fazlur Rehman was interested in the Governorship of Balochistan more than the slots in the Federal Cabinet.

According to the sources, Syed Naveed Qamar would continue holding the portfolio of Finance Minister even after induction of Shaukat Tareen as Prime Minister’s Advisor on Finance. Tareen is most likely to take oath on Tuesday (today). However, it is decided for sure that Tareen would look after the day-to-day affairs of Finance while Qamar would focus on Privatization besides looking after the Finance Ministry.