With PM Shehbaz all set to host PDM leaders for iftar, cabinet picks likely to be announced tonight

• Sources say PM Shehbaz Sharif to continue consultation over federal cabinet formation.
• Say names of cabinet members likely to be revealed tonight.
• Say PML-N expected to have 12, PPP seven members in federal cabinet.

ISLAMABAD: After several days of consultation, the government is expected to reach a decision over the final names for the federal cabinet tonight (Friday) as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is all set to host the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership for an iftar dinner at PM House, Geo News reported, citing sources.

PM Shehbaz has invited the PDM parties leaders where a discussion is expected on the strategy the coalition parties will adopt to run government affairs.

At the dinner, the premier will likely thank all the parties within PDM for working together to get him elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

The sources said that PM Shehbaz will finalise the ongoing consultation over the federal cabinet. A final decision on which parties will be included and how much representation each would have in the cabinet is likely after the dinner today, the sources added.

There has been no progress on the cabinet formation despite the passage of four days since Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the premier.

PML-N to have 12, PPP seven members in federal cabinet: sources

Earlier, it was reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had decided to add 12 PML-N MNAs to his federal cabinet, while PPP would get seven slots.

According to sources, Raja Pervez Ashraf is the candidate for National Assembly speaker as the office is vacant after Asad Qaiser decided to step down late Saturday, while a JUI-F MNA might become the deputy speaker — as Qasim Suri is also facing a no-confidence motion.

Meanwhile, apart from the PML-N and PPP members, JUI-F will get three ministries and a state minister portfolio, MQM-P, BAP, and BNP-M will get two ministries each. Independent candidates are also likely to get ministries, the sources said.

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

The prime minister has been engaged in separate meetings with PPP leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, other politicians, as well as journalists to discuss the cabinet formation.