Shahbaz reshuffles ministers for 'experience'

LAHORE Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on Monday reshuffled four provincial ministers belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), whereas no one from the coalition partner, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has been changed. As per details, Minister for Food Malik Nadeem Kamran has been given the portfolio of Zakat and Usher, while the Food Department has been allocated to Minister Prisons Ch Abdul Ghafoor. Malik Iqbal Channar has been moved from the portfolio of Special Education to Prisons. Lastly, Minister Local Government and Community Development Department Sardar Dost Muhammad Khan Khosa has been assigned the portfolio of Commerce and Industry. After the move, the Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Department has fallen vacant. However, the cabinet wing of Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) is yet to notify the reshuffle. PML-Ns senior leader Senator Pervaiz Rasheed told The Nation that the reshuffle was primarily done to give more experience to the cabinet ministers, who were working with the previous portfolios for the last over two years. It is nothing big since it is a routine exercise across the globe which is meant to provide the ministers with an opportunity of gaining exposure of different departments, said the senator, adding that it was CMs discretion to exercise the right. About the reshuffle of the PPP ministers, Rashid said it could be only done after discussing the matter with the PPP. However, he negated the possibility of expansion in the provincial cabinet since, saying, It is better to have a small unit.

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