QUETTA: Balochistan’s new coalition cabinet headed by Sardar Sanaullah Zehri will take oath on Sunday. It will have ministers belonging to the National Party, Pakhtun­khwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and PML-N.

According to sources, the cabinet will take oath in two phases – 10 ministers in the first and four in the second.

A senior official of the Balochistan government told Dawn that ministers belonging to the National Party and PkMAP will be the same as in the last cabinet.

The ministers are: Nawab Mohammad Khan Shahwani, Rehmat Saleh Baloch, Mohammad Aslam Bezenjo and Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Mohammad Hasni of the National Party and Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Sardar Mustafa Treen, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai and Dr Hamid Khan Achakzai of the PkMAP.

“Our ministers will be the same as in Dr Malik’s cabinet,” Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, PkMAP’s parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly, told Dawn.

The sources said that at least one member of the PML-Q, an ally of the PML-N in Balochistan, would be inducted into the cabinet.

A woman member of the PML-N is expected to join the cabinet.

The sources said that for the time being Chief Minister Zehri would keep some portfolios with himself.

Under the 18th Amendment, the cabinet may comprise 14 ministers, besides five advisers.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2016