QUETTA, Oct 18: Leader of the opposition in the Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali on Saturday described the expansion in the provincial cabinet as being unjustified, saying it would pose a major financial burden on the province’s already weakened economic position.

Talking to newsmen here, he said that while the provincial government was hard pressed for funds, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Yousuf was indicating an expansion in his cabinet.

The opposition leader said that inclusion of 16 more ministers, raising the total number of ministers to 29, would increase the province’s non-development expenditure, adding that during the three years of military rule, only seven ministers were running all affairs of the province.

He said that the provincial government was spending between Rs100,000 and 150,000 monthly on each of the minis-ter.

He said that with the induction of new ministers, the monthly expenditures in this regard would rise to more then Rs5 million.