ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The oath-taking ceremony of the new Federal Cabinet has been postponed for a day, as consultations in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership continued for selection of suitable candidates.
The oath-taking ceremony was scheduled at the President House in Islamabad on Wednesday evening at 1830 hours, however by midday the Aiwan-e-Sadr announced postponement of the event, now likely to be held on Thursday.
Sources said that General (retd) Abdul Qayyum may replace Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as the Interior Minister after the former federal minister excused himself from being the Cabinet member of the interim prime minister.
They also said that most of the ministers in previous Federal Cabinet would retain their portfolios in the interim setup.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who took oath of his Office on Tuesday after securing 221 votes in the Lower House of 342, met the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Murree for consultations on the new Federal Cabinet.
The Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, former Federal Ministers Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Pervez Rasheed and Asif Kirmani were also present in the meeting.
The 43-member cabinet of Nawaz Sharif included 20 federal ministers, nine ministers of state, five advisers and nine special assistants to the prime minister.
