KARACHI, Jan 2: A 15-member Sindh cabinet, including a woman minister, was sworn in here on Thursday at a simple but impressive ceremony on the lawns of Governor’s House.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, who arrived at the ceremony along with Chief Minister Ali Muhammad Mahar, administered the oath to the ministers.

Those made provincial ministers are: Syed Sardar Ahmad, Shoaib Bokhari, Raouf Siddiqui, Muhammad Adil Shaikh, Yaqub Ilyas Maseeh, Shabbir Ahmad Qaimkhani, and Muhammad Hussain from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement; Altaf Unnar and Dr Saeeda Malik from the PML-Q; Arbab Rahim, Irfan Marwat and Arif Mustafa Jatoi from the National Alliance; Syed Sadruddin Shah Rashdi and Chaudhry Iftikhar Malik from the PML-F and Manzoor Panhwar from the PPP-Patriot.

Aftab Ahmad Shaikh of the Muttahida Qaumi Move-ment and Aijaz Shah Shirazi of the PML-Q have been appointed as advisors.

The portfolios would be notified on Friday, according to a Sindh government spokesman.

Talking to newsmen after the oath-taking, Sindh Chief Minister Ali Muhammad Mahar said the cabinet had been formed with mutual consultation and consensus among the coalition partners. He dispelled the impression that there was some dispute over the allotment of portfolios to the new ministers.

In response to a question, Mahar said he was not in a hurry to effect changes in the administration, but if need arose, necessary shuffle would be made.

Ruling out the possibility of cabinet members disagreeing on key issues, the chief minister said all decisions would be taken with mutual consent. The cabinet would work like a team for the province’s development and people’s welfare, he added.

When asked if the formation of the cabinet had been possible only after the intervention of President Musharraf, the chief minister said the president was our ‘elder’ and as such we did seek his advice.

He said soon some more members would be inducted as ministers into the cabinet.

On this occasion, Sindh Governor Dr Ishart-ul-Ibad expressed his optimism about the ability and commitment of the newly-formed cabinet.

From top to bottom, he said, there was a complete understanding among the government functionaries. “We have agreed to work with devotion and sincerity for the progress of the country, and the province.”

He said efforts would be made to improve the lot of the poor and the middle class.

To a question, the governor said the chief minister enjoyed all powers of the office and would exercise them to bring about a change for the better.

The law and order was the first priority of the government, he added.

To another question, he said he would be visiting every place, and meeting people. This was necessary to bring stability to the democratic system.

Syed Sardar Ahmad, who is likely to be allotted the Home portfolio, described the “rule of law” as the government’s top priority, saying: “What is the use of development if life and property of an individual is not secure.”

When his attention was drawn towards increasing number of dacoities in the interior of the province, he said the dacoity culture could not be tackled by the police alone. There was a need to go to its roots for elimination of this culture.

Regarding the role of the Rangers, he said there was a need for changing the command structure. The Rangers, as such, should be under the command of the IG Police, otherwise police would never be able to stand on its own feet.

He dispelled the impression that decisions would be taken at “Nine Zero”, the Muttahida’s headquarters, recalling that when he was an advisor on finance, he used to sit in his office from 9am to 5pm regularly, and all the decisions were taken in the office.