Bilawal Bhutto sets conditions for oath-taking

• Sources say Bilawal had said he would be part of the cabinet if Mohsin Dawar, members of BNP-M, ANP are included.
• PPP chairman is currently in London and expected to meet PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
• Kaira says PPP is part of the government and will take decisions in consultations with all partners.

ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has set conditions for his induction into the newly-formed cabinet of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, The News reported Thursday.

According to sources, Bilawal has said that he would be part of the cabinet if Moshin Dawar and members of other coalition partners of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Awami National Party (ANP) are included in the cabinet.

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The PPP chairman is currently in London and expected to meet PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. The PPP sources said that Bilawal wanted to discuss major issues with Nawaz Sharif who remained active in the formation of the cabinet of the coalition government.

They further added that Bilawal also wanted to take up the issue of non-inclusion of the ANP, BNP-M and Moshin Dawar in the cabinet and wanted that once they were inducted into the cabinet, he would also take the charge of the foreign ministry.

It is worth mentioning that earlier this week, 33 ministers took oath in the first phase amid rumours of differences over portfolios among the partners. The PPP chairman, who was present at the ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadar, did not take the oath.  

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The cabinet has 30 federal ministers, three ministers of state and three advisers.

Meanwhile, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that the party members took the oath with the permission of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and they would take decisions in consultations with all partners.