KARACHI – The present battalion of Sindh’s ministers is expected to be disbanded by Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah this week, with the new cabinet likely to be comprised of 22 ministers from the current strength of 44, Pakistan Today has learnt.
No major changer are expected in significant portfolios such as Home, Finance, Education, Home and Information, but one of the government’s fierce critics, National People’s Party’s (NPP) Arif Mustafa Jatoi, is likely to be given a spot in the new set-up, well placed sources told Pakistan Today. Portfolios of the other ministers are being kept hush-hush by the leadership of all the political parties till a formal announcement of the cabinet reshuffle is made.
Sources said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders at a recent meeting in the Sindh Chief Minister’s (CM) House had agreed to increase the number of new cabinet members from the proposed 20 to 22, so that all members of the ruling coalition can be adjusted in the new set-up. Under the formula of ministries distribution, the PPP will control at least 13 departments, the MQM handed six portfolios, while the Awami National Party (ANP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and the NPP would be given one ministry each.
The PPP candidates expected to be inducted into the new cabinet include Dr Zulfikar Mirza, Agha Siraj Durrani, Pir Mazharul Haq, Murad Ali Shah, Ayaz Soomro, Shazia Marri, Jam Mahtab Dahar, Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Anwar Mahar, Manzoor Wassan, Rafique Engineer, Sassui Palijo, Dr Ahmed Ali Shah, Dr Sikandar Mendhro, Ghulam Qadir Chandio and Syed Ali Nawaz Shah.
The MQM quota will be given to Syed Sardar Ahmed, Rauf Siddiqui, Raza Haroon, Shoaib Bukhari, Adil Siddiqui and Haseeb Khan. ANP’s Ameer Nawab Khan, PML-F’s Abid Jatoi and NPP’s Arif Mustafa Jatoi are expected to represent the smaller parties in the be included in the new Sindh cabinet.
