Minority lawmakers hopeful of being given a portfolio in Imran’s cabinet

LAHORE: Following the oath-taking of Imran Khan as the 22nd prime minister of the country, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) on Saturday announced the names of Imran’s new cabinet members which include 15 federal ministers and five advisers.

Surprisingly, the new cabinet is short of members from minority communities despite having five non-Muslim lawmakers in the party.

PTI’s lawmakers belonging to the minority communities expressed hope that the party would give a cabinet portfolio to minorities in the coming days as this was just the initial list of members of the new cabinet.

Talking to Pakistan Today, PTI’s minority lawmaker from Hindu community, Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, expressed hope that the party will nominate someone from the minority communities because according to him, Pakistan is not complete without minorities.

“If you really want to create Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan, you cannot sideline minorities because the Quaid didn’t sideline them,” Vankwani said.

According to the lawmaker, the party had nominated only a few names of the upcoming cabinet on Saturday and many new names are expected in the coming days. “I am hopeful that the party will include someone from the minority communities in the new cabinet,” he added.

When asked who the party’s nominee from the minorities will likely be to head a ministry in the new cabinet, Vankwani said that the decision will be taken by the leadership of the party.

Another minority lawmaker of PTI from Christian community, Shunila Ruth, told Pakistan Today that Saturday’s announcement of the new cabinet members was just the first one. “A total of three rounds of announcements will be made over time to announce new members of the cabinet,” she said, adding that a lot of changes are expected and hopefully a cabinet portfolio will be allotted to a minority member.

Pakistan Today also contacted PTI Spokesperson and nominated Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, who confirmed that the names of cabinet members announced on Saturday were just the initial ones and many names have yet to be added.