QUETTA, Oct 14: Eleven new ministers of Balochistan government took oath of their offices on Monday, bringing the strength of the provincial cabinet to 14.
A notification issued by the provincial government later in the day announced portfolios of 10 ministers.
Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai administrated the oath to new ministers in a simple but impressive ceremony in the Governor’s House.
Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, Deputy Speaker Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, MNAs, MPAs, Provincial Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad, Inspector General of Frontier Corps Major General Ejaz Shahid and some tribal elders attended the ceremony.
The 14-member provincial cabinet has representation from all important tribes of the province, except the Magsis and Jamalis.
Following are the names of ministers and their portfolios: Sardar Sanaullah Zehri (Communication and works, Mineral Development and Industry), Mir Izhar Hussain Khosa (Food and Women Development), Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti (Home, Tribal Affairs, Persons, Provincial Disaster Management Authority), Nawabzada Jangez Khan Marri (Irrigation and Energy), Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhel (Revenue, Excise & Taxation Transport), Sardar Sarfaraz Khan Chakar Domki (Labour and Manpower, Social Welfare & Non-Formal Education), Nawab Mohammad Khan Shahwani (Services & General Administration), Sardar Aslam Bizenjo (Agriculture and Cooperative), Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch (Health) and Mujeebur Rehman Mohammad Hasni (Minorities, Human Rights, Sports, Culture, Archives, Population Welfare, Youth Affaires, Libraries, Museums and Tourism).
Portfolios of four ministers have not been announced.
Sardar Aslam Bizenjo was a minister for irrigation in the coalition government of former chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani. Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhel of PML-Q was part of three previous governments, holding portfolios of finance, education and planning and development.
Three provincial ministers — Sardar Sanaullah Zehri of PML-N, Nawab Mohammad Khan Shahwani of National Party (NP) and Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) — took oath of their offices in June.
Talking to journalists after the ceremony, the chief minister said that with the induction of new ministers, his cabinet was now complete.
In reply to questions about the induction of tribal chieftains and influential people in his cabinet and ignoring women and members of minority, Dr Baloch said the new ministers had not been chosen by him. The names had been sent by parliamentary parties of the three coalition partners and that he was bound to accept coalition partners’ nominations, he added.
The chief minister rejected rumours about a London mission, saying he went to the British capital only to attend a conference on Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Talking about relief operation in the earthquake-affected areas of Balochistan, Dr Baloch said the government was making all out efforts to provide relief goods to affected people.
The government had distributed over 31,000 tents and three months of rations to affected people.
