Ignoring financial woes, govt doubles cabinet size

Two dozen new members inducted into exclusive club

STATE OF THE NATION

Feb 28, 2025

ALTHOUGH the country is facing a serious economic crisis, the federal government has doubled the size of its cabinet by inducting two dozen new members. The cabinet had 25 members before its expansion.

Twelve federal ministers, nine ministers of state, three advisers to the prime minister, and four special assistants to the prime minister (SAPM) were inducted into the cabinet on Thursday. Minister of State Ali Pervaiz Malik and Shaza Fatima Khawaja were elevated as federal ministers under the new scheme.

According to the notifications issued by the Cabinet Division, three advisers have been given the status of federal ministers and four SAPMs the status of ministers of state. The prime minister has chosen three MNAs from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi for the expanded cabinet, including Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary and Hanif Abbasi as federal ministers, and Barrister Aqeel Malik as a minister of state.

All the ministers of state belong to the PML-N, including Malik Rasheed Ahmad Khan, Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju, Aqeel Malik, Bilal Azhar Kayani, Kesoo Mal Kheal Das, Mohammad Awn Saqlain, Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, Talal Chaudhry and Wajiha Qamar.

Mukhtar Ahmad Malik was previously serving as a coordinator to the prime minister on National Health Services. With the expansion, the federal cabinet now comprises 30 federal ministers, nine ministers of state, four advisers to prime minister with status of federal ministers and seven special assistants to prime minister with status of ministers of state.

Several opposition leaders criticised the government’s move, saying the Shehbaz Sharif-led administration should adopt austerity measures in order to improve the economy. “But instead of doing so, the government is playing politics and expanding the cabinet. That’s the height of political expediency,” said one of the leaders.