LAHORE: An 18-member Punjab cabinet took oath on Wednesday. Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman administered oath to the cabinet members at a ceremony organized at the Governor’s House, which was also attended by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
The ministers include Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rana Sikandar Hayat, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Khawaja Salman Rafiq Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah, Zeeshan Rafique, Ramesh Singh Arora, Bilal Yasin, Shafay Hussain, Khalil Tahir, Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Bilal Akbar Khan, Sohaib Ahmed Malik, Azma Zahid Bokhari, Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani, and Sohail Shoukat Butt.
The cabinet ministers’ names were approved by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Marriyum Aurangzeb has been given the charge of the senior provincial minister. She will also head the ministries of Planning and Development, Environment and Forest Department. Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has been given the portfolio of finance minister.
Azma Zahid Bukhari has been given the portfolio of the Minister of Information and Culture. Ashiq Hussain Kirmani has been allotted the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazim Pirzada (Irrigation Department), and Rana Sikandar Hayat (Ministry of Primary Education).
For the first time in the provincial cabinet, a Sikh community member has been included as minister. Ramesh Singh Arora has been given the portfolio of Minister of Minority Affairs.
Punjab Cabinet Members
Likewise, Tahir Khalil Sindhu has taken over the Human Rights Ministry, Sher Ali Gorchani has been assigned Mines and Minerals Ministry, Khawaja Imran Nazir (Primary and Secondary Health), Khawaja Salman Rafiq (Specialized Health), Zeeshan Rafiq (Local Government) and Malik Sohaib Ahmad Berth (Ministry of Communications).
