May 01, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1429

KARACHI, April 30: The Pakistan People’s Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement have finalised a power-sharing formula under which the MQM will join the Sindh government with 13 ministers, one adviser and one special assistant.

With the induction of the MQM ministers, the strength of the Sindh cabinet would reach 38, including four advisers.

Addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House here on Wednesday, Senior Minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, who led the PPP negotiating team, said: “For us ministries have no importance. It is the spirit of reconciliation that matters most.”

The deputy convener of the MQM Coordination Committee, Dr Farooq Sattar, who led his party’s team, said: “Our basic objective of power sharing is to have friendly and good relations with the PPP and continue the process of national reconciliation.”

The portfolios allotted to MQM ministers include: health, industries and commerce, information technology, environment and alternate energy, sports, youth affairs, rural development, public health engineering, Auqaf, bureau of supply and prices and human rights. Two portfolios are yet to be decided.