Who are the 20 first-timers in Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet?

A 38-member strong cabinet has taken an oath to form the official decision-making body of the coalition government, which came into power after former prime minister Imran Khan was voted out on April 10.

While there are many old faces in the new cabinet, there are also 20 seasoned politicians who have made it to the federal cabinet for the first time.

Who are they?

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

Political Party: PPP

Background: Bilawal is the chairman of PPP and the son of late Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari. He is the youngest member of the cabinet.

Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha

Political Party: PML-N

Background: Pasha is a former provincial minister of Punjab and the wife of Hafeez Pasha, an economist and ex-federal minister.

Murtaza Javed Abbasi.

Political Party: PML-N

Background: Abbasi was the deputy speaker of the national assembly in 2013.

Azam Nazeer Tarar

Political Party: PML-N

Background: He is the ex-vice chairman of Pakistan’s Bar Council and the former secretary of the Lahore High Court Bar Association.

Abdul Qadir Patel

Political Party: PPP

Background: He was previously a member of the provincial assembly, while he was a member of the national assembly in 2008.

Shazia Marri

Political Party: PPP

Background: Marri’s father was the former deputy speaker Sindh assembly. She herself has been an MPA twice and an MNA three times. She was also previously a provincial minister in Sindh.

Murtaza Mahmud

Political Party: PPP

Background: He is an ex MPA. His father Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood was the former governor of Punjab.

Sajid Hussain Turi

Political Party: PPP

Background: Turi was an MNA in 2008 and 2013.

Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari

Political Party: PPP

Background: He was an MNA in 2013. He is also the cousin of Shahzain Bugti and Dost Muhammad Mazari.

Abid Hussain Bhayo

Political Party: PPP

Background: He is an ex-MPA and has also served as the special assistant to Chief Minister Sindh.

Asad Mahmood

Political Party: JUIF

Background: He is the son of JUIF’s chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman.

Abdul Wasay

Political Party: JUIF

Background: He is a former MPA and was also the leader of the opposition in Balochistan.

Talha Mahmood

Political Party: JUIF

Background: He was a senator in 2006, 2012 and 2018. He was also the former chairman of the Senate’s standing committee on interior and narcotics control

Faisal Ali Subzwari

Political Party: MQM-P

Background: He has been elected an MPA thrice and has also been appointed a provincial minister in Sindh. He was previously the opposition leader in the Sindh assembly.

Shahzain Bugti

Political Party: JWP

Background: He was earlier the special assistant to former prime minister Imran Khan. He is also the grandson of Akbar Bugti.

Israr Tareen

Political Party: BAP

Background: He was an MNA in 2008.

Rana Sanaullah

Political Party: PML-N

Background: He was an MPA in 1990, 1997, 2002, 2008 and 2013. He was also previously the law minister in Punjab.

Javed Latif

Political Party: PML-N

Background: Latif is the former member of the district council Sheikhupura and was an MPA in 1997 and an MNA in 2008 and 2013.

Mufti Abdus Shakoor

Political Party: JUIF

Background: He was the president of JUIF in erstwhile FATA. 

Ayaz Sadiq

Political Party: PMLN

Background: He was previously the speaker of the national assembly and has been an MNA in 2002, 2008, 2013.