Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman administers oath to 18-member Punjab cabinet

LAHORE, March 06 (SABAH): An 18-member Punjab cabinet took oath on Wednesday.

Punjab Governor Engineer Mian Muhammad Balighur Rehman administered oath to the cabinet members at a ceremony held at the Governor’s House, which was also attended by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

The ministers include Marriyum Aurangzeb, Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah Kirmani, 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 Sindhu, Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Shafay Hussain, Sardar Sher Ali Khan Gorchani, and Sohail Shoukat Butt.

The names of the cabinet ministers were approved by PML-N supreme Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Marriyum Aurangzeb has been given the portfolio of senior provincial minister. She will also hold the ministries of Planning and Development, Environment and Forest Department. Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has been given the charge of finance minister.

Azma Zahid Bukhari has been given the charge of Minister of Information and Culture. Ashiq Hussain Kirmani has been given the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazim Hussain Pirzada (Irrigation Department), Rana Sikandar Hayat (Ministry of Primary Education). 

For the first time in the provincial cabinet, a Sikh community member has been made minister. Ramesh Singh Arora has been given the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Similarly, Tahir Khalil Sindhu takes over the Human Rights Ministry, Sher Ali Gorchani has been assigned Mines and Minerals Ministry, Khawaja Salman Rafiq (Specialised Health), Khawaja Imran Nazir (Primary and Secondary Health), Zeeshan Rafiq (Local Government) and Malik Sohaib Ahmad Berth (Ministry of Communications).