ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Following days of consultation on its formation, the federal cabinet Monday is set to take oath at 3pm today (Monday).
According to the sources, the oath-taking ceremony will take place at the President House with newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari administering the oath.
The sources added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has initially decided to keep his cabinet small, but more ministers will be inducted in the second phase.
Former finance minister Ishaq Dar, the sources said, will be given the portfolio of the foreign minister in the new cabinet, while Tariq Fatemi will be taking oath as a special assistant to the prime minister on foreign affairs.
The Finance Ministry will be overseen by Aurangzeb Khan, while former Punjab chief minister Mohsin Naqvi will be given the Interior Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Law will be handed over to veteran Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Azam Tarar, Attaullah Tarar will be the information minister and Khawaja Asif will spearhead the Defence Ministry, as per the sources.
The portfolio of the Petroleum Ministry will be given to Musadik Malik, while the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication will be led by Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the sources added.
Ahad Cheema will be inducted as an adviser to the prime minister for the Establishment Division, while former Balochistan CM Jam Kamal and PML-Quaid’s Chaudhry Salik Hussain will also join the federal cabinet, as per the sources.
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Abdul Aleem Khan and PML-N politician Amir Muqam are likely to be included in the federal cabinet too. Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan will also be given two ministries in the federal cabinet.
The swearing-in of the federal cabinet comes a week after PM Shehbaz took the oath of office as the 24th premier of the country, while President Zardari swore in as the head of state a day ago with all dignitaries in presence during the oath-taking ceremony.