15-member KP cabinet sworn in

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Fifteen Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ministers who have been inducted into the provincial cabinet took oath in a prestigious ceremony held at the Governor’s House on Wednesday.

The induction of the ministers into the provincial cabinet was notified by the KP government’s administration department following a summary of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, approved by KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali. The members include Arshad Ayub Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Fazal Hakim Khan, Muhammad Adnan Qadri, Aqib Ullah Khan, Muhammad Sajjad, Meena Khan, and Fazal Shakoor.

Nazir Ahmad Abbasi, Pakhtoon Yar Khan, Aftab Alam Khan Afridi, Khaleeq Ur Rehman, Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Faisal Khan Tarakai, and Muhammad Zahir Shah are also part of the cabinet. Subsequently, the newly-elected KP CM Gandapur also sent a summary to the governor to recommend appointments of his advisers, which was also approved by the governor.

Following the CM’s advice, five advisers have been appointed, including Syed Fakhar Jehan, Muzamil Aslam, Muhammad Ali Saif, Mashal Azam, and Zahid Chanzeb. Yesterday, Gandapur received a nod of approval from incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan after a meeting with him in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

After finalising the cabinet members, the chief minister did not disclose their names, as he was under pressure by certain factions within the party to accommodate their nominees. Interestingly, a majority of those considered and approved as cabinet members by the PTI founder were unaware of their selection.

“Some of the cabinet members and their portfolios have been approved but I can’t mention them,” a PTI leader claimed. Pleading anonymity, he added that every PTI MPA in the provincial assembly expected to be included in the cabinet, which he said, was not possible. After being nominated for the KP chief ministership, Gandapur signalled inducting new faces, up to more than 50%, into the next provincial cabinet, giving them a chance to represent the citizens in the assembly.

Meanwhile, the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali has approved cabinet ministers’ names and after his approval the administration department has issued the notification of the names.

According to the details, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet consisted of 15 members in which Arshad Yaqoob, Shakeel Ahmed, Fazal Hakeem Khan and Muhammad Adnan Qadri are included. Aqibullah, Muhammad Sajjad, Mina Khan and Fazal Shakoor are also a part of provincial cabinet.

In the first phase, 10 ministers, three advisors and three special assistants will be given posts in different sectors. In the meeting between both leaders Imran Khan and chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur the discussion has been done regarding to appoint Mushtaq Ghani as senior minister who was the former speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly.