Unelected Imtiaz Shaikh made tourism minister
Shazia Marri given power portfolio which is her third ministry since 2008.
KARACHI:
The Sindh government has changed the portfolio of two of its ministries on Monday, which officials believe is a move to pacify potential coalition partner - which declares itself a friendly opposition.
According to a notification issued by the government, the irrigation and power department has been bifurcated, giving the power portfolio to Shazia Marri, the former provincial tourism minister. The irrigation department will remain under Jam Saifullah Dharejo, who is now only irrigation minister, not the Minister for Irrigation and Power. This is the second change and the third portfolio to be held by Shazia Marri. When the Pakistan Peoples Party came into power in 2008, she was given the Ministry of Information and Archives. Later, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was bifurcated and she was given the latter department in January 2009.
The interesting induction is of Imtiaz Shaikh, the former adviser to Sindh chief minister. Shaikh, who is a bureaucrat turned politician, belongs to Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and was working as an adviser without a portfolio. But now, he will be the Provincial Minister for Tourism.
According to officials, there was a long-standing demand of the PML-F that the PPP government give it two ministries as a coalition partner plus friendly opposition. Earlier, two advisers to the chief minister had been appointed from the party: Imamuddin Shaukeen was given the portfolio of mines, while Imtiaz Shaikh was working without one.
“The PML-F continuously recorded its protest at various meetings,” officials revealed while talking to The Express Tribune. “During the last meeting, PML-F Sindh president Sadarudin Shah Rashdi and Imtiaz Shaikh met with President Zardari at Bilawal House and said, ‘we will support the government on every issue, but you have to take care of us’,” they said.
Initially, Imtiaz Shaikh was to be given charge of either the population ministry or the anti-corruption ministry. But the party had qualms about it as the appointment would have annoyed senior party leaders, officials revealed.
After his retirement as population secretary, Sheikh formed his own party, Sindh Democratic Alliance, which was later merged into the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam. During Musharraf’s regime, he was appointed as adviser to the then chief minister, Ali Muhammad Mahar. He, later, contested by-elections and won the MPA seat from Jacobabad. He was made Provincial Minister for Revenue and Political Affairs in Arbab Ghulam Rahim’s cabinet. However, because he was said to be an aspiring candidate for chief ministership, the internal tussle between him and Rahim led to his removal on the pretext of corruption charges.
In 2006, he joined the PML-F and contested the 2008 general elections, but he lost.
Sheikh could not be contacted despite many attempts.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2010.
The Sindh government has changed the portfolio of two of its ministries on Monday, which officials believe is a move to pacify potential coalition partner - which declares itself a friendly opposition.
According to a notification issued by the government, the irrigation and power department has been bifurcated, giving the power portfolio to Shazia Marri, the former provincial tourism minister. The irrigation department will remain under Jam Saifullah Dharejo, who is now only irrigation minister, not the Minister for Irrigation and Power. This is the second change and the third portfolio to be held by Shazia Marri. When the Pakistan Peoples Party came into power in 2008, she was given the Ministry of Information and Archives. Later, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was bifurcated and she was given the latter department in January 2009.
The interesting induction is of Imtiaz Shaikh, the former adviser to Sindh chief minister. Shaikh, who is a bureaucrat turned politician, belongs to Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and was working as an adviser without a portfolio. But now, he will be the Provincial Minister for Tourism.
According to officials, there was a long-standing demand of the PML-F that the PPP government give it two ministries as a coalition partner plus friendly opposition. Earlier, two advisers to the chief minister had been appointed from the party: Imamuddin Shaukeen was given the portfolio of mines, while Imtiaz Shaikh was working without one.
“The PML-F continuously recorded its protest at various meetings,” officials revealed while talking to The Express Tribune. “During the last meeting, PML-F Sindh president Sadarudin Shah Rashdi and Imtiaz Shaikh met with President Zardari at Bilawal House and said, ‘we will support the government on every issue, but you have to take care of us’,” they said.
Initially, Imtiaz Shaikh was to be given charge of either the population ministry or the anti-corruption ministry. But the party had qualms about it as the appointment would have annoyed senior party leaders, officials revealed.
After his retirement as population secretary, Sheikh formed his own party, Sindh Democratic Alliance, which was later merged into the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam. During Musharraf’s regime, he was appointed as adviser to the then chief minister, Ali Muhammad Mahar. He, later, contested by-elections and won the MPA seat from Jacobabad. He was made Provincial Minister for Revenue and Political Affairs in Arbab Ghulam Rahim’s cabinet. However, because he was said to be an aspiring candidate for chief ministership, the internal tussle between him and Rahim led to his removal on the pretext of corruption charges.
In 2006, he joined the PML-F and contested the 2008 general elections, but he lost.
Sheikh could not be contacted despite many attempts.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2010.