KARACHI, Jan 8: Utter confusion, mess, lack of coordination, absence of policy guidelines and heart-feeling are some of the salient features of the governance in Sindh. Though the new provincial cabinet is set to complete two weeks of its inception, its has even failed to hold the first meeting.

Confusion and uncertainty prevailed in almost all the department despite allocation of portfolios to the ministers.

Political quarters have attributed the situation to the failure of Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar and his cabinet colleagues in laying down policy guidelines and communicating their priorities to the functionaries.

Official work seems to have been brought to a standstill for want of policy guidelines.

The CM appeared to be more engrossed in soothing his own PML-Q colleagues and the coalition partners, particularly the National Alliance, who have not yet accepted the ‘fairness’ in the distribution of portfolios.

The outcome of confusion and uncertainty is piling up of files in different departments pending an official go ahead. The ultimate sufferers are the people seeking solution to their problems at different levels.

The first secretaries-level meeting is also pending amid controversy over the portfolios of the 15-member cabinet inducted on Jan 2. The MPAs and leadership of the National Alliance have expressed reservations over the allocation of portfolios. They had been, from the very first day, expressing their displeasure over the breach of agreement on the part of the other side — PML-Q — on the issue of portfolios. Their resentment reached the extent of threat to quit the cabinet.

They were, however, calmed down by the power brokers, including the Principal Secretary to the President, Tariq Aziz, who intervened and delayed the allocation of portfolios.

Discontent emerged again, just two days after the cabinet formation, when Dr Saeeda Malik of PML-Q, who was given education ministry, was offered the portfolio of Woman Development and the education ministry was given to Irfanullah Khan Marwat in place of his original ministry of Mines and Minerals.

This change of portfolio was also a violation of the agreement reached on the eve of Mr Mahar’s election as Leader of the House, according to insiders, the education department was promised to be given to Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh, chief of the Sindh Democratic Alliance. The SDA is a component of the National Alliance. Mr Shaikh was then made Advisor to the CM with the status of cabinet minister.

The “powers that be” did not specify whether he would be acting as trouble-shooter or given the education portfolio after his victory in the by-elections. Assigning of education portfolio to Mr Marwat has created an uproar among various quarters, including women organizations and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

In addition, PML-Q, particularly the group of Dr Rahim-ul-Haque also appeared not satisfied with the allocation of education portfolio. The PML-Q sources said that the party leadership was not happy over the move. Efforts are under way to cool down the situation by holding out assurances of a reshuffle and cabinet expansion soon after the Senate elections.

Reports of friction between the provincial government and the local governments have also started pouring in.