“We would like to get some good ministry like the local government in exchange for some of the minor ministries we held before,” an MQM leader told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity.
The MQM held a total of 13 ministries in the Sindh cabinet before quitting the coalition in June this year. Even though the party had left the government, the resignations of their ministers were not accepted; however six of their ministries were given to the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F).
(Read: Portfolio politics - Too many men, not enough ministries)
Ministries of sports, environment and rural development were given to the PML-Q while the ministries of information technology, Auqaf and youth affairs were allotted to the PML-F.
It is believed that the PPP wants to accommodate these two parties by allotting them some ministries currently looked after by the Sindh chief minister and to return all the portfolios the MQM held before parting ways with the government.
“Many of our ministers are without portfolio. The only good ministry we have is the health ministry,” an MQM legislator said, requesting that his name not be cited. The legislator added that the chief minister and governor would take a final decision on the matter within the next few days.
The MQM is currently holding the ministries of health, bureau of supply and prices control, industries, human rights, public health and engineering.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2011.
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