LAHORE, Jan 11: Portfolios of health, besides communication and works department, may prove a ‘bone of contention’ between the two coalition partners in Punjab in the process of cabinet expansion which is expected shortly.

At present Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is holding the portfolios of both ministries, and according to a source in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, he has no intention to hand them over to the Pakistan People’s Party on its demand.

“Shahbaz Sharif considers health and C&W departments face of the provincial government and he wants to overhaul them as well,” the source said.

Senior Minister Raja Riaz told Dawn that the PML-N had sought the list of his party (PPP) nominees against six more ministries in the expanded cabinet. He said that President Asif Ali Zardari would finalise the names and the expansion of the cabinet was likely within two weeks.

Mr Riaz said the PML-N had earlier promised to give the PPP health and C&W portfolios. “We have conveyed our concern to the PML-N in this regard and we hope that both ministries will be part of the ones we get in the next phase of cabinet expansion.”

He further said the additional portfolios the PML-N ministers were given of late belonged to the PML-N.

Law Minister Rana Sanullah maintained that it was chief minister’s discretion to award the ministries. He said the cabinet expansion matter would also be discussed in the cabinet meeting on Monday (today), besides issues of law and order and performance of the government.

PPP-Punjab president Rana Aftab Ahmed said the PPP wanted to continue as a coalition partner in the province and expected from the PML-N to give the former its due share in ministries without any delay.

PPP: The Pakistan People’s Party has no intention to topple the Punjab government but it will take its due share.

Punjab PPP president Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan, secretary-general Samiuallah Khan and newly-appointed Lahore president Asghar Gujjar said this while paying reverence to Data Ganj Bakhsh here on Sunday. Samiullah Khan led a rally of PPP workers from Shahdara to Data Darbar. They prayed for Benazir Bhutto and those who lost their lives in Karsaz and Liaquat Bagh incidents.

The PPP leaders said President Asif Ali Zardari wanted to have all political leadership, including Nawaz Sharif, on board and his gesture should not be considered his weakness.

They said the PPP reposed full confidence in Governor Salmaan Taseer as he had been playing his constitutional role. They said those hatching conspiracies against the PPP and democracy would not succeed.

Punjab information secretary Dr Fakharuddin, Dr Hasnat Shah, Iqbal Sialvi and Aurangzeb Burki were also present.