Daily Times

KARACHI: As the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) gets set to form government in the province thrice in a row, it will have to look for new faces to induct in the cabinet since nine ministers from the outgoing government are not in the assembly anymore.

Additionally, the speaker in the outgoing assembly, Nisar Khurho has also not been able to retain his seat after he was disqualified from participating in the election for concealing details in his nomination papers. His plea against disqualification over concealment of his second marriage and a 166-acre plot of agricultural land was rejected by the Sindh High Court (SHC).

In the newly elected assembly, PPP has a clear majority with 76 MPAs. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) trails the PPP with 23 seats. Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has secured 16, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) 11, and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) one seat. The newly formed far right Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) also has seats in the provincial assembly.

Prominent among those in the former cabinet who have been unable to retain their seats are former Industries and Sports ministers Manzoor Hussain Wassan and Sardar Muhammad Bux Khan Mahar, respectively. Their nomination papers were rejected over non-disclosure of assets (Bux) and a foreign work permit (Wassan).

Former law and education ministers Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar were defeated in the elections.

Former Minister for Revenue and Relief Makhdoom Jamiluz Zaman has been elected to the National Assembly, and ex Health minister Sikandar Mindro has been elected to the Senate. Former Information Technology Minister Sikandar Ali Shoro has left the party. Former ministers for Minorities Affairs and Women Development Khatu Mal Jeewan and Iram Khalid, respectively, were not given tickets this time.

Former Planning and Development minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani passed away in February this year.

Prominent among ministers in the outgoing cabinet who have retained their seats is Suhail Anwar Siyal. He served as the Home minister, and has been re-elected from PS12.

Mixed views were expressed by PPP legislators over the absence of 10 former ministers from the House this time. A newly elected MPA who preferred anonymity said it would give a chance to the party to try the younger lot. He said the new comers must be given responsibilities to test their mettle.

Newly-elected MPA from PS-57, Arbab Lutfullah, however, said the absence of the 10 senior lawmakers would leave a vacuum that may not be filled easily. He said seniors were needed in the assembly to guide younger lawmakers.

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2018.