Pakistan's new cabinet: PML-N leader hints Bilawal to get foreign ministry

Amid the formation of the new cabinet of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah on Sunday confirmed that Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP's) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will be getting the Foreign Ministry.

Sanaullah said that following consultation between the allied parties of the government, PPP will likely get to head the foreign ministry, reported Geo News.

He added that the ministry of foreign affairs will most likely be handed over to the PPP, while the party's chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is deliberating over the decision to head the ministry.

"I cannot ascertain whether Bilawal Bhutto will become part of Shahbaz Sharif's cabinet," he said.

Speaking to the media, Sanaullah said that the allied parties have completed the talks related to the distribution of ministries, however, the parties have asked for a day to deliberate on the decision.

"The ministries have been divided among the allied parties and now each party will name their preferred candidates," he said.

Sanaullah said that in accordance with the number of members each party has in the Parliament, PPP will get 11 ministerial positions, while PML-N will get 14, reported Geo News.

Earlier, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday decided against joining the cabinet of new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Zardari who is considered a key player behind the ouster of Imran Khan as prime minister, said that his party will not take ministries as they want their friends to be accommodated first.

The central leaders of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) suggested their four members for different positions in the new government during the meeting held on Friday.

The members suggested that the position of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) should be given to their member Sherry Rehman, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah should get the Communication department, Petroleum should be given to Naveed Qamar and the Ministry of Human Rights should be given to Shazia Marri.

PM Shehbaz was sworn in as the prime minister on April 11, following the removal of Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion -- making him the first prime minister to be removed through the democratic process.

Meanwhile, apart from the PML-N and PPP members, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) is expected to get three ministries and a state minister portfolio, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) is expected to get two ministries each. Independent candidates are also likely to get ministries, the sources said, reported Geo News.

MQM-P will get the governorship of Sindh, PPP Punjab, JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and BNP-M Balochistan, the sources said.