ISLAMABAD – In the wake of refusal by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to rejoin the cabinet, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has decided to delay the second phase of cabinet induction and has handed over the charge of surplus ministries to eight important cabinet ministers.
The decision was made after the government failed in persuading the MQM and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F to join the cabinet, a source privy to the development confided to Pakistan Today on Saturday. “The government has offered three full-fledged ministries and a minister of state slot to the MQM, including ministries of Ports and Shipping, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis and Housing and Works. However, the MQM insisted on the implementation of its charter of demands which left the prime minister to delay the second phase,” the source said.
When contacted, MQM leader Raza Haroon said his party would only join the cabinet once its nine-point charter of economic issues was implemented. He also brushed aside any impression about his party’s dialogue with the PPP to join the cabinet. According to a notification, the prime minister himself has kept the charge of the Ministry of Petroleum.
While Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Manzoor Wattoo has been given additional charge of the Ministry of Defence Production, Minister for Textiles Makhdoom Shahabuddin has been given the additional charge of the Ministry of Housing and Works, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar has been asked to also act as the state minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Division.
Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Raza Rabbani would also look after the affairs of the Ministry of Human Rights, Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah would also handle the affairs of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower, Minister for Privatisation Naveed Qamar would also look after the affairs of the Ministry of Water and Power,
Minister for State and Frontier Regions Engr Shaukatullah had been been asked to look after the affairs of the Ministry of Sports and Environment Minister Samina Khalid Ghurki would also work as the minister of women development.
