ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) supremo and exiled former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, has finally moved in to help prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif , to finalize his cabinet
Sources told NEWSMAN that Nawaz Sharif spoke to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday to ask him to become a formal member of Shahbaz Sharif’s cabinet and take the portfolio of energy division . Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who had initially refused to join Shahbaz Sharif’s cabinet, has agreed to take oath in the first phase of Shahbaz Sharif’s cabinet after Nawaz Sharif’s persuasion . He will look after energy sector including petroleum and power division . Mr Abbasi had the same portfolio in the Nawaz sharif’s cabinet also.
Nawaz Sharif is also continuously in touch with Pakistan People Party (PPP) top leader and former president , Asif Ali Zardari, and Maulana Fazal ur Rehman of Jamiat ulema Islam (JUI-F) to address their grievances with regard to power sharing at the federal level. According to the sources, PPP leadership has agreed to allow its team to join cabinet of Shahbaz Sharif after having series of telephonic round of talks with Nawaz Sharif in London.
‘Things have been sorted out and now its matter of time for announcement of cabinet by prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif, the sources divulged . PMLN have shortlisted its names for federal cabinet . These included Rana Sanaullah (Interior), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (Energy) , Ahsin Iqbal (Railways), Khawaja Asif ( IT), Maryam Aurangzeb (Information) , Khurrum Dastgir (Defence) and Mifta Ismael (Finance).
PPP will get the following portfolios. PPP chairman ,Bilawal Bhutto( Foreign Affairs), Hina Rabani Khar ( State minister for Foreign Affairs), Syed Khurshid Shah ( Water resources ), Syed Navid Qamar ( Commerce ) Shazia Mari ( Poverty alleviation and Human Rights). Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar ( State minister for Law and Justice ). Qamar Zaman Kaira to be appointed as advisor to the prime minister on Kashmir Affairs.
According to PMLN sources, the first batch of cabinet will take oath on Tuesday.
Mian Nawaz Sharif is also giving final shape to his plan to return to Pakistan from London. Another source close to Sharif family confirmed to this correspondent on Monday that Mian Nawaz Sharif is planning to go to Saudi Arabia to spend last 10 days of holy month of Ramadan in Mecca and Madina . His departure to Saudi Arabia from London is delayed due to some hitches in issuance of a Pakistani passport to the former prime minister . After spending at least a few last days of holy month of Ramadan , Nawaz Sharif will fly back to Pakistan. PMLN will make arrangements to give warm welcome to its top leader.
