MQM, 'Q' bloc to get 10 ministries

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD - The PPP-led coalition has decided to expand the federal cabinet after winning the presidential election and five ministers each from the PML-Q forward bloc and the MQM were expected to be inducted in the cabinet soon, sources told The Nation here on Sunday.
After winning presidential election with thumping majority with the support of PML-Q forward bloc in the National Assembly along with MQM, the PPP top leadership has decided to take five federal ministers from each of these two parties in the federal cabinet.
Sources added that parliamentary secretaries from the PML-Q and MQM would also be appointed within a week after the oath taking ceremony of the new President.
Sources further said that names of Kashimla Tariq, MNA Nasrullah Bijrani, MNA Israr Tareen, Talib Nakai and Prince Ghulam Mohiuddin from the PML-Q forward bloc were on the top of list of the expected federal ministers. The MQM, however, has not yet indicated the names of its members to be inducted into the cabinet as ministers. Sources said the MQM itself would short-list the names of its ministers.
As the chances of PML-N federal ministers to rejoin the cabinet have diminished due to rift in presidential election and the judges issue, the PPP has decided to accommodate the PML-Q forward bloc MNAs and the MQM members as ministers.
MQM is already the coalition partner of PPP in the Sindh government while its top leadership had proposed the name of Asif Ali Zardari for the President and due to its hectic efforts, he got 100 percent votes in the Sindh Assembly.
PML-Q forward bloc member Kashmala Tariq had openly voted for Speaker National Assembly, Dr Fehmida Mirza, and she was too much critical of the top leadership of her party for its failure in general elections.
Sources in the PPP claimed that more than 30 lawmakers of the PML-Q in National Assembly have given votes to Asif Ali Zardari.