KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday expanded his cabinet with eight more ministers, taking the number of cabinet members to 21.

Governor Kamran Khan Tessori administered oath to newly inducted ministers Jam Ikramullah Khan Dharejo, Muhammad Ali Malkani, Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman, Dost Muhammad Rahimoon, Shahid Abdul Salam Thahim, Riaz Hussain Shah Shirazi, Shahina Sher Ali and Mir Tariq Ali Talpur.

The oath-taking ceremony was attended by the chief minister, provincial ministers, advisors, city mayor, provincial secretaries, and family members of the newly appointed ministers.

On March 12, in the first phase, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, Jam Khan Shoro, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar, Ali Hassan Zardari and Zulfiqar Shah took oath of office. Besides, the chief minister had also appointed three advisers — Allah Dino Khan Bhayo, Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari and Syed Najmi Alam.

Portfolios allocated to newly inducted ministers

Following the oath-taking ceremony of the second batch of ministers, the chief minister allotted the newly inducted members their portfolios.

Jam Ikram Dharijo was given industries and commerce department. He has been a member of the provincial assembly since 2008 and was first inducted into the provincial cabinet in Aug 2016 and was given the portfolio of co-operatives department.

He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Sindh as a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from Sukkur in 2008 and then again elected to Sindh Assembly in 2013 general election.

The 51-year-old PPP leader was re-elected in 2018 general election and was re-inducted in the provincial cabinet as minister of co-operatives and given an additional portfolio of industries and commerce in 2019. In Feb 2020, he was given the additional portfolio of inquiries and anti-corruption establishment.

Muhammad Ali Malkani was allocated the portfolio of universities and boards department.

Elected first in 2013 general election to the provincial assembly from Thatta, he was appointed as livestock and fisheries minister in 2016 and later given the additional ministerial portfolio of Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development.

Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman, grandson of late PPP leader Makhdoom Ameen Faheem, was given portfolio of rehabilitation department. He was first elected to the provincial assembly in 2018 and was appointed as revenue and relief minister.

Dost Muhammad Rahimoon, who has been the member of the provincial assembly from Tharparkar since 2013, was made minister of environment, climate change and coastal development department.

Shahid Abdul Salam Thahim, son of late PPP leader Abdul Salam Thahim, was given labour and human resources ministry. He was elected to the provincial assembly from Sanghar in 2013 general election and was re-elected in 2018.

Riaz Hussain Shah Sheerazi, who has been a member of the provincial assembly since 2018, was appointed minister of Auqaf, Religious affairs, Zakat and Ushr department.

Shaheena Sher Ali, elected on a reserved seat, was given portfolio of women development department.

She had been a member of the provincial assembly from August 2018 to August 2023 and from June 2013 to 2018 on reserved seat.

Mir Tariq Ali Khan Talpur was made social welfare minister. He had been a member of the provincial assembly in 2018 from Murpurkhas.

Meanwhile, Prisons Minister Ali Hassan Zardari was allotted additional portfolio of works and services department by the chief minister.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2024