Punjab ministries decreased from 43 to 35: Shahbaz Sharif

LAHORE : PML-N President Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that number of ministries in Punjab had been decreased from 43 to 35. This was decided in PML-N and PPP meeting on Punjab government formation, Shahbaz told reporters after attending the meeting at his residence in Defence area here on Saturday evening. PPP leaders Raja Pervez Ashraf, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Raja Riaz, and PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar, Chaudhry Nisar, Khawaja Asif and Raja Ishfaq Sarwar attended the meeting.
Shahbaz said that PML-N would hold 22 and PPP 13 portfolios in the province, while remaining eight departments would be merged into these ministries, adding that the slots of Chief Minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker would be retained with PML-N.
To a question, he said Nawaz League had reservations against MQM and “there should be transparent inquiry into May 12 incident of Karachi.” If Mutahidda, he said, was not behind the killing of 50 innocent people then there should be no objections to conduct the probe in this regard, he maintained.
PML-N President said that coalition parties’ leadership would decide about abolition of Local Government System and revival of the old system in the province.
He also stressed the need for restoration of deposed judges in accordance with the Murree Declaration.
Shahbaz ruled out any wheat flour crisis in the province, adding that new government would ensure proper supply of the commodity in every nook and corner.
He said an IT university for girls would be set up in the Chief Minister House for which caretaker government had been asked to form a committee in this regard so that new government could ensure early implementation on the project.
During the meeting Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar had also clarified his statement about President Pervez Musharraf, he added.
Shahbaz further said easy access to education would be ensured in Punjab, besides introducing a similar curricula in public and private educational institutions. The new government, he said, would also take effective measures to rectify the law and order situation in the province.
PML-N President also denounced Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s statement about forward bloc in Nawaz League and said worst kind of terror incidents were occurred during PML-Q tenure.
Q-League also resorted to horse trading of PML-N parliamentarians and Speaker took no decision on Nawaz League’s reference to de-seat those members, he said, “We will ensure transparency in the accountability process.”
On this occasion, Ishaq Dar told the journalists that all matters between the two parties were sorted out amicably.
He further said the allied parties’ leadership would finalise the nomination of Chief Minister, ministers, chairmen of standing committees and parliamentary secretaries.