May 01, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1429

LAHORE, April 30: The PML-N and the PPP have finally ‘succeeded in resolving differences’ over distribution of two major ministries in Punjab.

According to the ‘patch-up’, the PML-N will keep health and education ministries while the PPP has been offered local government and rural development ministry in exchange.

The provincial health and education ministers will, however, take oath when PNL-N President Shahbaz Sharif will become chief minister after the by-elections scheduled in June.

Earlier, according to a source, Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar and Rana Sanaullah from the PML-N and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Raja Riaz and Ahmed Mukhtar from the PPP had worked out modalities regarding the distribution of ministries between their parties. “At that time, it had been decided that the PPP will have the health ministry,” he maintained.

However, the source said the PML-N later requested the PPP leadership to have any other ministry in exchange of health as Shahbaz Sharif wanted his party to keep it because a lot of work had to be done in the (health) sector and it might also become a source of differences between the two parties if given to the PPP. The PPP then had asked for education ministry in exchange which the PML-N also refused, he added.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that coalition partners had reached a consensus regarding the health and education ministries.

“Now the PML-N will keep both the ministries and the PPP has been offered to have local government and rural development in exchange.” He also confirmed that the PML-N had earlier given the health ministry to the PPP.

A PPP MPA, however, told Dawn that the issue had been brought into the notice of party’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and the fate of both the ministries would be decided with his consultation on his return from Dubai.

Punjab Information, Culture and Support Minister Dr Tanvirul Islam, who belongs to the PPP, was invited at a function of World Diabetes Conference, 2008, held here last week as health minister and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s spouse Fouzia Gilani had presented him a shield in that capacity. Mr Islam was earlier tipped as health minister.