LAHORE: An 18-member cabinet of Punjab was sworn in on Wednesday in a ceremony held at the Governor’s House, where Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman administered the oath. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also present at the event.
Among the ministers are Marriyum Aurangzeb, Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah, Rana Sikandar Hayat, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Zeeshan Rafique, Bilal Akbar Khan, Sohaib Ahmed Malik, Azma Zahid Bokhari, Bilal Yasin, Ramesh Singh Arora, Khalil Tahir, Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Shafay Hussain, Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani, and Sohail Shoukat Butt.
The approval for the cabinet ministers’ names was granted by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Marriyum Aurangzeb has been designated as the senior provincial minister, also overseeing the portfolios of Planning and Development, as well as Environment and Forest Department. Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has been appointed as the finance minister.
Azma Zahid Bukhari has been entrusted with the Ministry of Information and Culture, while Ashiq Hussain Kirmani has been assigned the Ministry of Agriculture, and Kazim Pirzada to the Irrigation Department. Rana Sikandar Hayat is appointed as the Minister of Primary Education.
In a historic move, Ramesh Singh Arora, a member of the Sikh community, has been appointed as the Minister of Minority Affairs in the provincial cabinet.
Similarly, Tahir Khalil Sindhu will head the Human Rights Ministry, Sher Ali Gorchani will oversee the Mines and Minerals Ministry, Khawaja Salman Rafiq will lead the Specialized Health Ministry, Khawaja Imran Nazir will oversee Primary and Secondary Health, Zeeshan Rafiq will handle Local Government, and Malik Sohaib Ahmad Berth will manage the Ministry of Communications.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)