Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah has convened a meeting of the Sindh cabinet on Wednesday (today), the first after Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) exit from government. The MQM had 14 members in the provincial cabinet, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led set-up is now set to deliberate its future course of action.
According to an official handout the meeting will discuss on issues pertaining to Federal departments devolved to the provincial government under the 18th Constitutional Amendment. But sources told Pakistan Today that the cabinet will also discuss the political situation in the wake of the MQM’s departure from governance.
Sources said that the PPP is not in a position to immediately assume responsibility for portfolios vacated by the MQM, as the resignations tendered by Muttahida’s ministers are still being processed. No decision has been taken on the resignations thus far, sources said, but it is expected that a decision will be taken once President Asif Ali Zardari returns from abroad.
On the other hand, other allies of the PPP, including the PML-F and PML-Q, are now expecting that more of their members would be accommodated in the Sindh cabinet. A PML-F delegation, led by Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, called on CM Shah on Tuesday at the CM House to deliberate the situation. PML-F chief Pir Pagaro’s personal secretary, Dr Karim Mahar, was also among the delegation members.
According to an official handout, the delegation apprised the CM about problems and issues pertaining to their party. “The Sindh CM assured them that their genuine problems will be resolved soon,” the handout stated.
Meanwhile PML-F chief Pir Pagaro said on Tuesday that the MQM’s decision of quitting the government is political, and would not weaken the government set up. Talking to a private TV channel, Pagaro said that he would have no objections if the MQM joins the ppposition. However, he added, in his view the party would rejoin the government.
