ISLAMABAD, April 24: President Gen Pervez Musharraf will administer oath of office to new federal and state ministers at a ceremony at the Aiwan-i-Sadar here on Tuesday.
Official sources said that no major changes were likely in the federal cabinet and between four and eight new federal and state ministers would take oath. Besides, there will be a minor reshuffle of portfolios.
There was no official announcement about names of new ministers and the capital had been in grip of rumours about changes in portfolios after a meeting between Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
A federal minister said he could only confirm that five federal and three state ministers would take oath on Tuesday morning.
The sources said that Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar would take oath as federal minister for women development. At present, Ms Bakhtiar is adviser to the prime minister on women development.
The sources also said that Zahid Hamid, previously minister of state for defence, was being made Minister for Privatisation. Similarly, they said, Sumaira Malik, who had been working as minister of state for tourism, was being made a full minister.
Another name being mentioned is that of Senator Salim Saifullah Khan who, according to the sources, may join the cabinet as minister for sports and culture.
The sources said that Minister of State for Local Government Zafar Iqbal Warraich likely to be made minister of state for interior and Senator Kamil Ali Agha the minister of state for local government.
The sources also indicated that Minister of State for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Senator Tariq Azeem Khan and Minister of State for Information Anisazeb Tahirkheli would swap their portfolios.
The sources also said that Minister for Water and Power Liaqat Ali Jatoi would retain his portfolio despite speculation to the contrary made because of his anti-Kalabagh dam stance.
