Islamabad: Prime Minister Pervez Ashraf has added 15 more ministers to his cabinet, raising its strength from 38 to 53 in a first expansion of his team after assuming power five days ago following his election by the National Assembly.
All 15 are from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), a major partner in the coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party.
Ashraf has also designated PML-Q minister for defence production and industries Chaudhry Pervez Elahi as deputy prime minister.
A government notification however clarified that the deputy prime minister will not have any powers of the prime minister in any manner whatsoever.
Eight federal ministers and seven ministers were sworn in by President Asif Ali Zardari late Monday night.
The eight PML-Q full ministers who took oath are Anwar Ali Cheema‚ Ghous Bux Khan Maher‚ Jam Mohammad Yousuf‚ Chaudhary Wajahat Hussain‚ Shaikh Waqas Akram‚ Sardar Talib Hussain Nakai, Liaqat Abbas Bhatti and Sardar Bahadar Khan Sehr.
The seven ministers of state of the party who were also sworn in are Akram Masih Gill‚ Chaudhary Ghias Ahmad Mela‚ Senator Saeed Khan Mamdokhel‚ Khawaja Sheeraz Mahmoud‚ Sardar Shahjehan Yousuf‚ Malek Nauman Ahmad Langrial and Rana Asif Tauseef.
