PML- F, PML-Q join provincial cabinet

Jam Madad Ali, Rafique Banbhan of PML-F and Muhammad Ali Malkani, Shahryar Mahar of PML-Q take oath.

KARACHI:


Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and PML-Quaid (PML-Q) members of Sindh Assembly took oath as members of the provincial cabinet at the Governor House in Karachi on Thursday.

Jam Madad Ali, Rafique Banbhan of PML-F and Muhammad Ali Malkani, Shahryar Mahar of PML-Q have taken oath as members of the cabinet.

Three other MPAs will also be inducted as advisors and a notification will be issued by the provincial government in this regard. Those slated to be appointed advisors are Haleem Adil Shaikh, Shah Hussain Sheerazi of PML-Q and Imtiaz Shaikh of PML-F.

Updated from print version (below)

Sindh reshuffle: PML- F, PML-Q poised to join cabinet

New coalition partners, the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and PML-Quaid (PML-Q), are all set to take up positions in the Sindh Cabinet.


On Wednesday, negotiations between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the two parties about their share in the cabinet were finalised.


“It has been finalised,” PML-F’s Rafique Banbhan told The Express Tribune, “the final decision would be made within 24 hours.”

PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain met Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at CM House. The pair agreed on appointing two ministers and advisers from the PML-Q. The party’s MPAs Muhammad Ali Malkani and Shahryar Mahar have been nominated as ministers. Haleem Adil Shaikh and Shah Hussain Sheerazi are tipped to be advisers to the chief minister but will be given the status of ministers. Their portfolios have to be decided later.

“Chaudhry Saheb also brought up cases that were lodged against our leaders,” said a PML-Q official. “All the cases would be withdrawn and both parties agreed to seat adjustments in the upcoming local bodies and general elections.”

After the meeting at CM House, Chaudhry Shujaat confirmed the reports. He told the media at Muslim League House that two ministers and advisers would be sworn in from his party very soon.

The PML-F, meanwhile, are said to have two ministers and an adviser. The former joint opposition leader of the Sindh Assembly, Jam Madad Ali, and MPA Dr Rafique Banbhan are said to be ministerial candidates. Meanwhile two state ministries are also be given to the PML-F in the federal government and Senator Sajjad Hussain Zaidi and Jadim Mangrio are said to be candidates for the same posts.

Imtiaz Shaikh would be appointed an adviser.

Of the remaining five advisers, Khawaja Izharul Hassan resigned due to differences with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, leaving just four advisers to the CM. Of them Imamuddin Shoqeen is from the PML-F and rest, Kaisar Bengali, Zubair Motiwala and Rashid Rabbani, are with the PPP.

Party sources said that it would be difficult for the government to induct more than five advisers given the court ruling. There are chances that one of the party’s advisers will be removed to accommodate the new coalition partners.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2011.
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