Sindh government likely to resize cabinet

18th Amendment says there can be only 18 ministries in the province.

KARACHI: Following the Pakistan Peoples Party Central Executive Committee’s decision to authorise the prime minister to resize the federal cabinet, the Sindh government is also expected to follow these steps.

This decision will soon be implemented in Sindh, in line with the 18th Amendment, The Express Tribune learnt.

Government officials said that the cabinet will be resized once Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah returns from Islamabad. Currently, there are 45 ministers in the Sindh cabinet, but the 18th Amendment says there should only be 18. Sindh government media coordinator Taj Haider told The Express Tribune that the government has already started reducing its cabinet by removing 12 advisers, a few days ago. Further chances of the reappointment of a smaller cabinet in the province cannot be ruled out, he said.

Along with ministers, the number of special assistants to the chief minister will also be reduced, said officials. Currently, there are 13 special assistants and the number is likely to go down to five.  Meanwhile, people have appreciated the federal government’s decision to reduce the size of its cabinet. After the devolution of several departments to the provinces, there was no need to have the same ministries at the federal level, said a resident.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2011.