10-member cabinet takes oath in Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar, Oct 31 (PTI) Ten members of the newly formed cabinet of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were sworn in on Friday, completing the process of government transition in the province.

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi administered the oath of office to the members picked by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

Along with the chief minister, speaker of the Provincial Assembly Babar Saleem Swati, as well as members of the national and provincial assemblies, party leaders, and others attended the ceremony.

The newly inducted cabinet ministers include Meena Khan, Fazal Shakoor Khan, Faisal Tarakai, Aqibullah, Shafi Jan, Khaliqur Rehman, Dr Amjad, Riaz Khan, Fakhar Jehan, and Taj Muhammad Tarand.

Muzzammil Aslam and Taj Muhammad have been appointed as advisers, while Shafi Jan has been designated as special assistant to the chief minister in the new setup.

Despite pressure from all fronts to announce the cabinet, Chief Minister Afridi had earlier clarified that the new cabinet would be announced after a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

However, after repeated unsuccessful attempts to meet the jailed former prime minister and party founder, Khan's sister conveyed to the newly appointed chief minister that he had “complete authority” to form the provincial cabinet.

Opposition members in the provincial assembly have been critical of the ruling party over delays in forming the cabinet, stating that government affairs have come to a halt.

PTI's provincial unit had previously also insisted that members of the preceding cabinet with “corruption allegations and a bad reputation” should not be inducted. PTI AYZ SKS GRS