AHMEDPUR EAST - Nine ministers from South Punjab are now part of the new federal cabinet, which in a sense is the first-ever example in the history of this backward region.
They include Engr Balighur Rehman, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Sikandar Bosan, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Javed Ali Shah, Owais Leghari, Arshad Leghari, Abdul Rehman Kanju and Ch Jaffer Iqbal Gujjar. They were inducted into the cabinet under the directives by former premier Nawaz Sharif. The candidates from South Punjab were given maximum representation in the federal cabinet, reportedly, to counter the PPP and PTI growing popularity in the region.
Four ministers were inducted in the cabinet from Bahawalpur division, two of whom – Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Balighur Rehman, belong to Bahawalpur district. Similarly, two state ministers including Ch Jaffer and Arshad Leghari were picked up from Rahim Yar Khan district. Bahawalnagar district were ignored again in the newly-formed 47 members’ cabinet. The local PML-N leaders congratulated Balighur Rehman for his induction in the federal cabinet. In their joint statement, MPA Qazi Adnan Farid, Municipal Committee Chairman Malik Usman Rasheed Bobak and Vice Chairman Mian Muzzamil Nadeem termed it confidence of the party leadership on him. They expressed their optimism that Balighur Rehman would bring drastic changes to the educational system.