PPP again invited to join federal cabinet; Ahsan Iqbal given important task

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to expand the federal cabinet following the budget presentation, and has extended a formal invitation to the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) to join the government, sources told *The News*.

According to the report published today, senior political leaders from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and allied parties will be included in the cabinet. The prime minister has initiated the process for the inclusion of new cabinet members and has engaged in discussions with the PPP regarding their participation.

The decision will be presented to the PPP's Central Executive Committee (CEC), which will make the final call on whether to join the cabinet. Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal has been tasked by the PML-N leadership to advance these discussions, having already contacted Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira.

It is important to note that after the previous elections, the PPP opted not to join the PML-N alliance in the Centre and Punjab but supported Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister. Initially, the PPP decided against taking any ministries and limited its participation to constitutional and parliamentary roles based on an agreement with the PML-N.

However, the PPP recently expressed a change in stance, showing interest in joining the Punjab government if offered a significant share. Senior PPP leader and Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani indicated last month that the party's leadership might consider joining Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif's cabinet if provided with appropriate positions in the province.