Wahab appointed city administrator

Four new ministers take oath, three advisers inducted into Sindh cabinet

KARACHI:

Reports of the Sindh government bringing a major reshuffle to the cabinet proved to be true on Thursday with the induction of four more ministers, three advisers and 13 special assistants.

Besides, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah appointed the Sindh government spokesperson and his adviser on law as the Karachi city administrator as speculated earlier.

Wahab took the charge on Thursday, relieving Laeeq Ahmed of the post.

A veteran Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, Wahab has previously served as senator and as the CM’s adviser on anti-corruption, information, law, environment and parliamentary affairs.

Party insiders see him as an experienced and energetic leader but the appointment has been met with criticism from opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The opposition parties have denounced the appointment of an unelected official on the post, which has been controversial since the tenure of local governments in the province expired in August 2020. The Sindh government was bound to hold elections within three months after the tenure of elected officials ended but over a year later, has yet to do so.

Wahab accepted the appointment expressing gratitude to the PPP leadership and vowed to serve the city and its people.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on the day Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly censured the PPP-led Sindh government for appointing Wahab as the city administrator instead of bringing in a non-political administrator as agreed upon between the province, Centre and other stakeholders.

Cabinet reshuffle

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail administered the oath to the four new ministers including Mohammad Sajid Jokhio, Gianchand Essrani, Syed Zia Abbas Shah and Jam Khan Shoro. The event was held at the Governor House.

It was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers and government officials. The Sindh chief secretary also announced in the ceremony that the chief minister had appointed three advisers, Manzoor Hussain Wassan, Fayaz Ali Butt and Rasool Bux Chandio.

The portfolios of education, information, irrigation, food, information technology, social welfare, minorities, Zakat and Ushr, boards and universities and anti-corruption changed hands.

Three cabinet members including former irrigation, Zakat, ushr and auqaf minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, food and minorities minister Hari Ram and CM’s adviser on boards and universities were relieved of their positions.

Read More: PTI to resist Wahab’s appointment as Karachi administrator

“The ministries have been taken back from them due to poor performance,” a source within the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said. They added that those cabinet members, who were considered to be close aides of Faryal Talpur, were relieved from duties.

“This reshuffle has taken place on the recommendation of [PPP Co-Chairperson] Bilawal Bhutto,” a senior PPP lawmaker, privy to the development, told The Express Tribune.

Among the new ministers was newcomer Abbas Shah, an MPA from Tando Allahyar. He has been a member of the provincial assembly over the last two tenures. He is also the son of PPP stalwart Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi, a former MPA.

Sajid Joikhio, Gianchabnd Israni and Jam Khan Shoro had served as provincial ministers in the last PPP government. Meanwhile, Tanzila Qambrani, who called herself first the African-Pakistani lawmaker, was made special assistant to the CM for Information Technology.

Among the appointed advisers was Manzoor Wassan, the senior-most PPP party leader. He served the provincial government as minister for different portfolios, including home, in all the last tenures of the PPP government in Sindh.

Gianchand also served as excise minister and is an MPA from Thano Bola Khan of Jamshoro district. Sajid Jokho, meanwhile, served as Zakat and Ushr minister during the last PPP tenure.

Redesignated portfolios

Ismail Rahu, who previously served as the agriculture minister, took charge of universities and boards, environment, climate change and coastal development portfolios from which Nisar Khuhro was relieved. Sources in the Sindh government said Khurhro, who happens to be the Sindh PPP chapter president, would now look after party affairs.

Meanwhile, Makhdoom Mahboob is to continue as the revenue minister. The portfolio of the education department was taken back from Saeed Ghani who will now serve as the labour and information minister.

Meanwhile, Syed Sardar Shah Culture, who was the tourism and antiquities minister, has been given the charge of the education department instead. Besides, Taimur Talpur, who held the position of IT minister, is to now take over the forests department.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah is to continue as the local government minister and will be heading the housing and town planning department as well as the public health engineering department.

Meanwhile, Jam Ikramullah Dharejo is to continue as the industries and corporations minister, while Sajid Jokhio is to take charge of the social welfare department, Giyanchand Essrani of minority affairs, Zia Abbas Shah of works and services, and Jam Khan Shoro of the irrigation department.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2021.