NWFP Cabinet expanded, six new NWFP Ministers take Oath
Pakistan Times NWFP Bureau Report

PESHAWAR: The NWFP cabinet was Friday evening expanded when six new provincial ministers took oath of their office here at Darbar Hall of the Governor House.

NWFP Governor Lt.Gen (retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah administered the oath to the new Ministers. Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani also attended the oath taking ceremony.

The total strength of the provincial cabinet has risen to 18 with the induction of six new faces two each from Jamaat Islami and JUI(F) and one each from JUI (Samiul Haq group) and JUP (Noorani group).

Allama Ramzan Tauqir of Pakistan Islami Tehrik and Fazlur Rehman Madni of Jamiat Ahle Hadith have been appointed Advisors to the Chief Minister. The portfolios of the new Ministers would be announced later.

The New Members

Those who took oath as Provincial Minister are Shah Raz Khan (Malakand), and Kashif Azam(Peshawar) of Jamaat Islami, Alhaj Muhammad Ayaz Khan(Batgram), of JUI(S), Maulana Amanullah Haqqani (Peshawar), and Maulana Asmatullah (Kohistan) of JUI(F) and Akhtar Nawaz (Haripur) of JUP (Noorani).

Leaders of junior political parties of MMA were conspicuous by their absence specially Senator Maulana Samiul Haq of JUI (S) and his son Hamidul Haq MNA. However, Maulana Shah Abdul Aziz MNA attended the function.

The newly inducted minister Al-Haj Mohammad Ayaz Khan while talking to 'Pakistan Times' said, ninety percent of his party was in favour of his joining the cabinet. He said, his party leader Maulana Samiul Haq was not in favour of joining the cabinet.

Speaking to newsmen, the NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani told that new ministers were inducted in consultation of their respective parties. He said, " we had proposed the name of Zakir Shah MPA of Jamiat e Ahle Hadith for the ministerial slot but his party dropped his name and gave the name of Maulana Fazlur Rehman Madni for advisor.

He dispelled the impression of any rift amidst the MMA ranks over the distribution of ministries and said, " we are all united and one".●