ISLAMABAD, March 17: Sindh Food Minister Mir Nadir Magsi retained the top spot on the list of the wealthiest members of the provincial assembly with assets valued at Rs1.51 billion.

According to statements of assets and liabilities submitted to the Election Commission, Mr Magsi inherited weapons worth Rs7.5 million and his personal addition to the arsenal amounts to Rs2.5 million.

Interestingly, a majority of the Sindh cabinet members, including Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Speaker Nisar Khuhro and Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, do not own vehicles.

The total assets of Mr Shah are Rs15.25 million, his daughter owns a car and his bungalow in DHA Karachi is valued at only Rs2.7 million.

Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, son of former chief minister Abdullah Shah, has Rs114.61 million in assets, compared to Rs104 million hepossessed last year.

The bank account of Mr Shah, who looks after the kitty of the cash-stricken province, has also inflated to Rs56.21 million from Rs1.25 million last year.

The other cabinet members who do not have a car are: Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Excise Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawala, Wildlife Minister Dr Daya Ram Esserani, Information Minister Shazia Marri, Minister for WomenDevelopment Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, Minister for Social Welfare Nargis N.D. Khan, Minister for Minorities Affairs Mohan Lal Kohistani, Minister for Technical Education Abdul Salam Thaheem, Agriculture Minister Ali Nawaz Shah, Transport Minister Akhtar Hussain Jadoon, Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, Minister for Forests Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi, Tourism Minister Mohammad Ali Malkani, Minister for Fisheries Zahid Ali Bhurgari, Sadiq Ali Memon and Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman.

Culture Minister Sassui Palejo, whose family before entering the PPP belonged to the poor hari class, too does not own a car. However, she is having 315 acres of agricultural land, one shop in Clifton, an apartment in London. Her total assets are more than Rs12.68 million.

A large number of ministers belonging to parties other than the PPP do not own cars. They included Labour Minister Amir Nawab of the ANP, Sardar Ahmed, Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Faisal Sabzwari, IT Minister Raza Haroon, Minister for Bureau of Supplies and Prices Syed Shoab Bokhari and Minister for Human Rights Nadia Gabol.

Mr Magsi’s bulk of wealth comes from property he owns in Sindh and Balochistan, which is valued at Rs1.25 billion. He also owns a Rs10 million house in the United States.

The second richest member is Mr Chawala, whose assets are worth Rs283.31 million. However, his wealth comes from various business ventures, including several wine shops.

Mr Dharejo is the third richest person with assets worth Rs250 million. He has Rs24 million cash in banks, two luxury SUVs worth Rs20 million and large tracts of land.

The minister for Population Welfare, Ali Mardan Shah, has land and property worth Rs180.52 million.

Home Minister Manzoor Wassan’s total assets are worth Rs163.74 million. This includes one house in DHA Phase-II valued at Rs3.6 million and another on Khyaban-i-Ameer Khusro which, according to Mr Wassan, has a current market value of Rs3.19 million.

Sadiq Memon has one house, one apartment and four plots in DHA Karachi, apart from other land and property. He also owns two houses in Canada.

The total value of his assets are Rs160 million, including Rs4.10 million and $110,000 in bank accounts, but Mr Memon does not own a car.

He bought one motorcycle and a tractor in 2009.

Mr Khuhro has assets and cash worth Rs4.89 million only, he too has no car but his wife owns a leased car and her 500 square yard house in DHA is mortgaged at Rs10 million.

Shehla Raza and her husband own property, jewellery, business and other assets worth Rs5.84 million.

Mr Esserani has total assets of Rs118.07 million. He has a house in DHA and a plot in Islamabad. Pir Mazhar has the total assets valued at Rs5.53 million.

Makhdoom Jameel, son of federal Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, owns property and cash worth Rs25.55 million, including 500 grams of gold.

Ms Marri, who owns a bungalow in posh DHA, has Rs130,000 in her bank account and 10 tolas of gold ornaments. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto owns nothing except 35 tolas of gold worth Rs2.13 million, Nargis has assets worth Rs3 million and gold worth only Rs25,000.

The minister for religious affairs Abdul Haseeb has a total assets and property worth Rs450,000 he owns a 1985 motor cycle.

A cabinet member belonging to the MQM, Khalid Bin Wilayat, seems to be a rich person among members of his party considering the average wealth of MQM MPAs. His assets are worth Rs15.20 million, including 550 grams of gold inherited by his wife.

Sports Minister Mohammad Ali Shah is a well off man; he owns a house in Dubai, he and his wife own various properties in Karachi. They have 10 cars and a 1960 Vespa scooter.