After a year, Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif set to expand federal Cabinet

After a year in office, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will induct new federal ministers into his Cabinet on Thursday.

The new ministers will take the oath of office at 4 p.m. at the Presidency.

Sources told Nukta that four names have been finalized for inclusion in the federal Cabinet so far. Hanif Abbasi and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, both lawmakers from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, have been confirmed. From the coalition government, Khalid Magsi of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has been selected. Additionally, former Karachi Mayor Mustafa Kamal from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is expected to secure a position.

In Pakistan, executive powers are vested in the federal Cabinet, which approves all major government decisions. Cabinet members are assigned key ministries and oversee their operations as federal ministers or ministers of state.

There are currently 18 federal ministers in Pakistan’s Cabinet, while two serve as ministers of state.

Abbasi is expected to be appointed as the minister of railways, while Chaudhry will take over the Health Ministry. Both ministries have remained without a minister for a year.

Magsi will be appointed as the federal minister for communications. The ministry has not had a dedicated minister under the Shehbaz government, with Minister for Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan currently overseeing its operations.

The MQM has proposed Kamal for the Cabinet, and he is expected to take charge of the Science and Technology Ministry. The ministry was previously held by Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

According to the Presidency, along with the swearing-in ceremony, a separate event will be held to confer the Nishan-e-Imtiaz on Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Al Nahyan is on an official visit to Pakistan, accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes ministers, senior officials, and prominent business leaders.

Sources said other key figures are also lobbying for Cabinet positions, but decisions on additional appointments have yet to be made.