Qaim Ali Shah makes history — officially

Qaim, who will be CM for a record third time, will also hold the home ministry portfolio.


Hafeez Tunio May 28, 2013
“I am thankful to my party, which has given me this responsibility for third time. I will serve the people from Kashmore to Karachi without any discrimination,” says Shah. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE

KARACHI: As predicted by The Express Tribune on the 22nd of May, Sindh has made history by nominating Syed Qaim Ali Shah for a record third term as Chief Minister of Sindh.

This decision was made at a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) meeting held at Bilawal House on Tuesday. The meeting, which was chaired by PPPP Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, also decided to appoint Agha Siraj Durrani as speaker of the provincial assembly, while retaining Shehla Raza as deputy speaker.

Soon after the nomination Shah came out of the meeting and informed the media that his first priority will be to maintain law and order in the province. “I am thankful to my party, which has given me this responsibility for third time. I will serve the people from Kashmore  to Karachi without any discrimination,” he said. What’s more is that party sources say Qaim Ali Shah will also be holding the portfolio of home minister as well.

Referring to the decision, one newly elected MPA said that the nomination of the CM was announced by Makhdoom Amin Fahim following the consent of President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. However, it was Qaim Ali Shah who announced the names of the speaker and deputy speaker.

According to party leaders Shah, after taking oath on May 30, would initially appoint five to seven cabinet members. Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, would be given the status of senior minister, and Sharjeel Memon, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Makhdoom Rafique ul Zaman, Murad Ali Shah and Dr. Sikandar Mandhro are likely to take oath as cabinet members in the first phase.

“The finance department would be given to Murad Ali Shah who could not contest the election over the issue of dual nationality. He would be appointed as advisor to CM on finance, while the portfolio of the other departments would be announced soon,” a senior PPP leader said. He added that the party leadership is considering allotting the law department portfolio to Dr. Mandhro, but a final decision is still awaited.

Given that the PPP will have to comply with the 18th amendment by appointing a small cabinet of 19 members (14 ministers and five advisors), there is now a race within the party to get the prime portfolios.

The newly elected members of the provincial assembly will take oath today, and the speaker of the house Nisar Khuhro will administer the oath. In the meanwhile, different political parties will submit their nomination papers for the election of the speaker that is to be held on May 30.

After the meeting various PPP leaders spoke to the media and dispelled the impression that any leader of the party was annoyed over the decision.

“We all are unanimous over the nomination of Shah. This is in the best interest of Sindh,” sais one such PPP leader said.

Shehla Raza thanked the party leadership for allotting her the deputy speaker portfolio for a second term and said, “Time and again, the PPP has proved there is no gender discrimination within the party, which has great respect for women,” she said.

Meanwhile, the other parties represented in the Sindh assembly have also started holding meetings to chalk out their strategy and to decide whether to field their own candidates or support the PPP nominees.  “It is premature to comment on it. We have convened a meeting to decide by May 30,” Engineer Nasir Jam, Deputy Convener MQM said while refuting reports that they have already decided to join the government.

The same reaction came from PML-N and PML-F leaders who said that they would appoint their joint nominees to contest against the PPP’s nominees.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2013.

COMMENTS (5)

Rahim | 10 years ago | Reply

PPPP still failed to learn lesson from History, people like Qaim Ali Shah (and Mr. Z of course) are the main reason PPPP lost its support. RIP PPPP. =)

ashar | 10 years ago | Reply

And he will make all of us history very soon.

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