PM holds parleys with Zardari, Bilawal over cabinet formation

Newly-installed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held a number of meetings with his allies including Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others for holding consultation on formation of his cabinet which is likely to be formed within next 24 hours, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Shehbaz visited Zardari House on Tuesday and met PPP Co-Chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. They exchanged views on current political situation of the country. 

PPP former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also attended the meeting. Whereas PML-N leaders including Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Sanaullah, Saad Rafiq and Marriyum Aurangzeb accompanied Prime Minister Shehbaz. 

The PM held consultation on federal cabinet formation with former president Asif Zardari and offered PPP to become part of it. 

PM meets Maulana Fazl

Later, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the house of JUI Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and held a meeting with him. 

They discussed political situation, cabinet formation and talked about other affairs. 

Shehbaz offers MQM to become part of cabinet 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured the Muttahida Quomi Movement-P that his government would fully respect and implement the agreement reached between the two before the no-confidence motion that toppled the PTI government two days ago.

Sources revealed that newly installed premier held a meeting with MQM delegation on Tuesday. He tried to remove doubts if any in the minds of his ally MQM leaders assuring them that the government would fulfil all demands of the MQM as ‘it respects its agreement with the latter’. 

Shehbaz said that the government would like to take the MQM along. He also offered them to become part of the forthcoming federal cabinet, sources concluded.

It bears mentioning that MQM-P was annoyed with newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif when he did not announce the agreement with the Karachi-based party in his first speech on Monday.

MQM-P leader Waseem Akhtar said that it was good that the Benazir Income Support Program card was announced but the agreement with MQM should also have been announced by the PM.

Waseem Akhtar said Shehbaz became prime minister after the agreement with the MQM so he recorded his protest to the newly elected PM.

He further stated that if the Benazir card could be announced then why not MQM agreement? Waseem Akhtar added that this agreement should have been mentioned in Shahbaz Sharif's speech.

 Mengal, Bhotani, Dawar consulted over cabinet formation 

The prime minister also held a meeting with Balochistan National Party Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal at Parliament Lodges and discussed cabinet formation with him. He thanked him for his support and efforts for making no-trust motion successful against the previous government.  

He also called on Aslam Bhotani and Mohsin Dawar in connection with consultation on cabinet formation. 

 PM to visit Karachi tomorrow 

 The prime minister will visit Karachi tomorrow (Wednesday) and pay his respects at the Quaid’s mausoleum.

He will also hold meetings with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad ali Shah and MQM leaders. 

Consultative talks between allies enter final stage

 As per the earlier reports, the consultative talks have entered the final stage between the newly formed government of PML-N and its allies for the formation of federal cabinet.

Sources divulged that the matter of cabinet formation would be completed during next 24 hours. In the first stage, 20-25 federal ministers and state ministers would take oath to their respective offices. 

It has been learnt that ministries of information, defence, finance and interior would go to the PML-N. While six ministries including foreign ministry would be offered to the Pakistan Peoples Party.

The PML-N wants PPP Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to become foreign minister. However, Sherry Rehman and Hina Rabbani Khar could also be the possible choice for the portfolio of foreign minister, sources added. 

They said that the Senate members of the allied parties would also be offered ministries.

The leaders of Muttahida Quami Movement (P) and Balochistan Awami Party would also get ministries.

From the PML-N side, Khwaja Saad Rafiq, Maryam Aurangzeb, Khurram Dastgir, Rana Sanaullah and Khwaja Asif will be given ministries.

Besides them, the names of Azam Nazir Tarar, Afghan Ullah and Rana Mqbool were also under consideration. 

The independents who supported the PML-N and allies in no-confidence motion would also be given ministries. 

Sources said the government was mulling governors’ replacement in three provinces.

Reporters Usman Javed and Awais Kiyani