KARACHI: A reshuffle is expected in the Sindh cabinet after an initiative has been taken by Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to bring back disgruntled members of the PPP Parliamentarian, sources close to the development told Dawn on Monday.

A meeting of the party co-chairman, PPP Parliamentarian president Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday helped in resolving some major issues amicably. They were later joined by estranged Sindh Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Makhdoom Jamil-uz-Zaman, who is also a son of Mr Fahim.

Also read: Despite being neglected Amin Fahim won’t leave PPP

Mr Jamil’s grievances about being minister without authority were settled on Monday when he had a one-on-one meeting with the chief minister at CM House.

The other irritating issue was about not taking PPP-P President Amin Fahim on board regarding party decisions and external interference in matters pertaining to the provincial affairs. In this regard, the party co-chairman extended an assurance to him that there would be no more external pressure in transfer and postings of government functionaries.

The chief minister, according to sources close to the PPP leadership, also decided to sort out differences with a hawkish group led by former home minister Zulfikar Mirza. A meeting with his son lawmaker Hasnain Mirza was also on the cards, the sources said.

The move, they added, indicated the reshuffle in the cabinet after the inauguration of a mega reverse osmosis water filter plant in Tharparkar district on Jan 8. A decision might be taken after the dinner to be hosted in honour of the PPP lawmakers at CM House on Thursday night, they said.

The PPP high command, according to political analysts, decided to streamline party working after PPP Parliamentary president Makhdoom Amin Fahim called on former military dictator and ex-president Pervez Musharraf last week along with Pir Pagara, chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional.

This meeting was highlighted in the media as demonstration of disenchantment of Mr Fahim with his party leadership over decision making in the party with reference to appointment of Sherry Rehman as senior vice president of PPP-P. Besides, the elder Makhdoom sahib was also heard complaining that despite great sacrifices by his family members and suffering during the military regimes, even their petty works were not being materialized. His son despite being a minister in the cabinet had no powers whatsoever to transfer even a peon. Mr Jamil himself has been avoiding attending cabinet meetings for the past couple of months as a token of his displeasure with the chief minister.

Although after the meeting with Gen Musharraf, Mr Fahim had clarified his position explaining that he was not quitting the PPP to join any other party, Mr Zardari took the meeting seriously as he mentioned it while addressing the Dec 27 public meeting at Garhi Khuda Bukhsh in Larkana. This brought Mr Faheem in the limelight, leaving an impression as if he was leading a group of disgruntled members of the Sindh PPP Parliamentarian party in a bid to form a forward bloc to dislodge the chief minister by moving a no-confidence motion with the support of PML-F, MQM and other groups.

Leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Shahryar Mahar, who belongs to the PML-F, after his recent meeting with Gen Musharraf did not reject the media reports about tabling a motion for a vote of no-confidence against the chief minister with the support of PPP forward bloc.

But the elder Makhdoom after his meeting with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday night rejected all the rumours in this regard, explaining that there was no move for a vote of no-confidence against the chief minister. He said his family was an integral part of the PPP. He also indicated that PPP’s high command decided to reorganise the party soon.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2015

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