2 more members sworn into Pak caretaker cabinet

Pakistan's caretaker government expanded its federal cabinet on Wednesday by inducting two more caretaker ministers.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered oath to Lahore-based businessman Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman and former defence secretary Lieutenant General (retd) Khalid Naeem Lodhi, in a ceremony held at the Presidency, reported Geo TV.

Naeem Lodhi, whose last army assignment was head of the Bahawalpur Corps, retired in March 2011 and was appointed defence secretary later that year, as per media reports.

Rehman, on the other hand, is a prominent figure among business circles. He serves as director of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, where he also used to hold the post of chairman.

Caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, members of the federal cabinet and other senior officials attended the ceremony.

On June 5, a six-member interim cabinet, led by Mulk, took oath at the President's House in Islamabad.

The cabinet included former governor of State Bank of Pakistan Shamshad Akhtar, former Pakistan ambassador to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon, former senator Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, Mohammad Yousuf Shaikh, Mohammad Azam Khan, and Syed Ali Zafar.

The caretaker cabinet will hold the office until a new elected Prime Minister comes to power post the results of the July 25 general elections are announced.