Zardari decides against joining cabinet of Shehbaz Sharif: Report

Zardari, who is considered a key player behind the ouster of Imran Khan as PM, said that his party will not take ministries as they want their friends to be accommodated first, says a news report

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday decided against joining the cabinet of new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Zardari who is considered a key player behind the ouster of Imran Khan as prime minister, said that his party will not take ministries as they want their friends to be accommodated first, citing The News International reported by Geo News.

At the same time, the PPP has invited applications from candidates for National Assembly and provincial assemblies for the next election.

In a brief press talk at Parliament House, Asif Zardari said that they want their friends to be accommodated first. When asked if he wants to put all the burden on Shehbaz Sharif, he said that there is no such thing. "We want friends to be given a chance," reported Geo News.

 

After Zardari's press talk, senior leaders of the PPP started explaining his remarks and said he did not mean that the PPP was not joining the cabinet.

A senior PPP leader, on the condition of anonymity, said that the PPP wanted to fulfill promises and agreements that it had made with coalition partners, then it would join the cabinet. Sources said the PPP, in a meeting with the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), had finalized names for the cabinet, reported Geo News.

The central leaders of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) suggested their four members for different positions in the new government during the meeting held on Friday.

The members suggested that the position of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) should be given to their member Sherry Rehman, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah should get the Communication department, Petroleum should be given to Naveed Qamar and the Ministry of Human Rights should be given to Shazia Marri.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to add 12 PML-N MNAs to his federal cabinet, while PPP will get seven slots, sources told Geo News Thursday.

PM Shehbaz was sworn in as the prime minister on April 11, following the removal of Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion -- making him the first prime minister to be removed through the democratic process.

Meanwhile, apart from the PML-N and PPP members, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) is expected to get three ministries and a state minister portfolio, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) is expected to get two ministries each. Independent candidates are also likely to get ministries, the sources said, reported Geo News.

MQM-P will get the governorship of Sindh, PPP Punjab, JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and BNP-M Balochistan, the sources said.