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Thursday, July 11, 2013
Sindh gets nine more ministersBy Razzak Abro
KARACHI: After a gap of almost 45 days, the lawmakers of Pakistan People’s Party were finally inducted into the Sindh Cabinet on Wednesday, including nine ministers and two advisers.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan administered oath to nine newly inducted ministers at a ceremony held at the Governor’s House. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Law Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro, PPP leaders, provincial ministers and senior bureaucrats attended the ceremony. The newly inducted ministers include foster brother of President Asif Ali Zardari, Syed Owais Muzaffar, Syed Ali Mardan Shah, Dost Muhammad Rahimoon, Javed Nagori, Rubina Qaimkhani, Jam Khan Shoro, Jam Mahtab Daher, Gianchand Esrani, and Mukesh Kumar Chawla.
Two lawmakers of the PPP, Hasnain Mirza, son of former Sindh Home Minister, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, and Muhammad Khan Junejo have also been inducted into the provincial cabinet as advisers to the Sindh chief minister. Total strength of the Sindh cabinet has now reached 18. Earlier, in the first phase, the government had inducted seven persons into the cabinet, six as ministers and one as adviser.
The government also allotted portfolios to the newly inducted ministers. Syed Owais Muzaffar has been given Local Government, Public Health and Housing; Jam Mahtab Daher allotted Food Department; Mukesh Kumar Chawla again allotted Excise and Taxation; Syed Ali Mardan Shah given Population Welfare; Javed Nagori allotted Katchi Abadis; Jam Khan Shoro has been given Livestock and Fisheries, Dost Muhammad Rahimoon provided Auqaf, Ushr and Zakat; Rubina Qaimkhani allotted Women Development and Social Welfare and Gianchand Esrani will head the Minorities Affairs, Wildlife and Forest departments.
Jam Mahtab Daher and Mukesh Kumar Chawla were among those who had also served as ministers during the last PPP government, while majority of the ministers are new faces. However, Mukesh Kumar is the only minister in second batch of cabinet members who has succeeded in getting the same portfolio, Excise and Taxation, one of the most lucrative departments of the province. According to details, the PPP had invited the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) one month ago to join the Sindh cabinet but the party did not reply in this regard. The PPP leadership decided to expand the cabinet after being disappointed by the attitude of the MQM. Now with the expansion the number of cabinet members has reached 15.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk