Balochistan govt offers talks to rebels

QUETTA - A 38-member cabinet of Balochistan including four female members sworn in here in a ceremony at Governor House Wednesday evening. Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi administered oath to members of the provincial cabinet representing Pakistan People's Party, Awami National Party, PML (Q), Balochistan National Party Awami and Azad group. The members who took oath include former provincial minister Mir Saddiq Umrani, Shafiq Ahmed Khan, Ismaeel Gujar, Engineer Zarak Achakzai, Abdul Khaliq Bashar Dost, Malik Sultan Tareen, former miniter Amanullah Notezai, Jan Ali Changezi, Miss Ghazala Gola, Mir Zaffarullah Zehri, Mir Ghulam Jan, Maulana Abdullah, Ainullah Shams, Maulana Abdul Bari Agha, Yunus Mullazai, Mir Asghar Rind, Asadullah, Syed Ehsan Shah, Ali Madad Jattak, Dr. Irfan Karim, Mir Habibur Rehman Mohammad Hassani, Maulvi Abdul Samad Akhunzada, Attaullah Baloch, Mir Abdul Rehman Mengal, Mir Rustam Jamali, Mir Qambar Ali, Zahoor Buledi, Haji Mohammad Khan Utmankhel, Mrs. Rubina Irfan, Haji Mohammad Nawaz, Sardar Sanullah Zehri, Begum Shama Perveen Magsi, Begum Nasreen Kehtran and Mir Asim Kurd Galu. The portfolios to cabinet members would be allotted shortly. Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani, Chief Secretary Balochistan, IG police and other high government functionaries attended the ceremony. Talking to media, the Chief Minister said that cabinet would be expanded later with the appointment of five advisors. He said that he could not give specific time for that. Agencies add: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani while reiterating his offer for talks with the militants has said that the government still adheres to its offer of reconciliation with them and asked them come to negotiations. He was talking to reporters after oath-taking of Balochistan Cabinet at Governor House here Wednesday afternoon. A total of 38 ministers were administered oath of office by Governor Zulfiqar Magsi. Nawab Raisani also attended the oath-taking ceremony. The Chief Minister said that people being killed are innocent. It is inhuman because those being killed are unarmed people. He said strict action would be taken against miscreants. Answering a question, he said portfolios of ministers would be announced on Thursday. Answering another question, he said expansion in the cabinet was possible according to the size of coalition. Since coalition is big and it has six components, expansion in the cabinet is very much possible. He said four advisers would also be inducted and all these would be MPAs. He said the government would try its best to restore law and order.

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