Khalid Ranjah took oath yesterday as Pakistan's new law and justice minister replacing Shahida Jamil who has been retained in the cabinet and given charge of other ministries.

Chief justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmad, who is acting as president in the absence of President Pervez Msuharraf, administered the oath.

Ranjah has served as law minister in the province of Punjab before his elevation to the federal cabinet. President Musharraf, currently on an official visit to Japan, has also made adjustments in the portfolios of two other ministers.

Shahida Jamil, who hails from Karachi, has been given charge of the ministry of environment, local government and urban affairs. Owais Ghani has assumed the charge of ministry of labour, manpower and overseas Pakistanis.