Cabinet Reshuffle and Expansion Likely at the Start of the New Year, Allies Taken on Board

ISLAMABAD:At the beginning of the new year, the federal cabinet is expected to undergo a reshuffle and expansion, with the coalition parties already being consulted and brought on board. Prime Minister **Shehbaz Sharif** has reportedly taken active steps in this regard.

According to media reports, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken the coalition parties into confidence about the upcoming changes in the cabinet, and consultations with **PML-N** leader **Nawaz Sharif** have also been completed. The reshuffle and expansion are expected to be implemented within the first month of the new year.

**New Faces in the Cabinet**
One of the prominent figures expected to join the cabinet is **Dr. Syed Tauqeer Shah**, who is currently serving as the Executive Director at the **World Bank**. Dr. Shah, who has previously held the position of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, has been invited by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to return to Pakistan and take up a ministerial role in the federal cabinet. Dr. Tauqeer Shah has accepted the invitation and will serve as a full-fledged minister and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister.

The current federal cabinet comprises **18 members**, with a total of **33 government portfolios**, including **2 Ministers of State**, **3 Special Assistants**, and **1 Adviser**. The reshuffle will likely add new faces to the team, with some of the individuals reportedly being considered for key positions, including **Barrister Aqeel Malik**, **Senator Talal Chaudhry**, **Minority Senator Khalil Tahir Sindhu**, **Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry**, and **Hanif Abbasi**.

This will mark the first major expansion of the cabinet since the current coalition government assumed power.