PPP ponders major reshuffle in Sindh cabinet

Sources claim changes likely before December 27

ISLAMABAD: The PPP’s top hierarchy is considering a major reshuffle in the Sindh cabinet, five months after replacing octogenarian Qaim Ali Shah with Murad Ali Shah as the province’s chief minister.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is not happy with the performance of some members of the provincial cabinet and feels there is a need to reconfigure Shah’s team, sources told The Express Tribune.



In July, the PPP replaced the Sindh chief minister in a major reshuffle that also saw the induction of some new and relatively young ministers in the provincial cabinet.“Bilawal Bhutto has been keenly monitoring the performance of the Sindh government. He feels another major reshuffle is inevitable,” said a source in the Sindh government.

The PPP is desperately trying to shed the moniker of ‘friendly opposition’ and take on the government aggressively. And for this purpose, the party is planning to launch an anti-government movement with a focus on Punjab, the political bastion of the ruling PML-N.

Before confronting the ruling party, the young PPP chairman wants to put his own house in order and make another effort to improve governance in Sindh, the province where the PPP has been in power since 2008.

Sources said Bilawal recently had a review of the Sindh government’s performance. Close aides told him that the political change evoked some positive response from general public, but it failed to build a momentum.

“Initially, for two months the response was quite encouraging, but gradually complacency started factoring in. We can’t afford this anymore,” a close aide quoted Bilawal as telling him.

He claimed that Bilawal, who has already completed the review, would soon make important announcements. “Some ministers and advisers will be shown the door,” he added. “These changes are most likely to be made before Dec 27.” However, if another source is to be believed the “changes will happen [as soon as] next week”.



The PPP leadership plans to make some big announcements on Dec 27 on the eve of the death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto. One of them will be Bilawal announcing date for contesting by-elections for a National Assembly seat mostly likely in February this year. Another possible announcement could be the launch of an anti-PML-N protest movement from January.

Before formally launching this movement, it has constituted a five-member penal, called ‘implementation committee’, to press the government into accepting the PPP’s four demands. The committee will also contact other opposition parties to muster their support on PPP’s stand.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2016.