Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Punjab Province CM, to Announce 20-Member Cabinet

Punjab chief minister Mar­yam Nawaz began consultations with allies and party members regarding the formation of provincial cabinet and is likely to announce a 20-member cabinet this week, according to a report by Pakistan-based news outlet Dawn.

Nawaz and her party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), held talks with Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) (PML-Q), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and signalled that people elected from these parties will likely be inducted into the cabinet later. The provincial cabinet will see former central ministers Rana Sanaullah, Pervaiz Rashid and Marriyum Aurangzeb get key roles.

Sanuallah and Rashid will be inducted as special assist­ants or advisers to the CM since they are not members of the Punjab Province Assembly.

The report said that Sanaullah may get key roles in either the provincial law ministry or the home ministry. He has previously served as the provincial law minister in the last tenure of former chief minister Shehbaz Sharif from 2013 to 2018.

He was also the interior minister in the 16-month stint of the PDM government in Pakistan which came to power after it ousted former prime minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote. Sanaullah recently lost the National Assembly election against a PTI-backed independent candidate from his hometown, Faisalabad.

There is no clarity on what portfolio will be given to Sheikh Rashid. The former senator has attended every administrative meeting chaired by Maryam Nawaz. There are speculations that Rashid could be sent back to the Pakistan senate.

There could be an ego clash between Sanaullah and Rashid as these two PML-N senior leaders are not on good terms.

Meanwhile, Azma Bokhari and Marriyam Aurangzeb were inducted into the assembly on reserved seats for women. Bokhari has been given the portfolio of information ministry and Aurangzeb will also get an important ministry.

The allies PPP, PML-Q and IPP and their lawmakers will be inducted in the cabinet later but may not get important portfolios.