• Ismail Rahoo takes oath as universities and boards minister
• Nasir Shah again given local govt portfolio in addition to energy
• Saeed Ghani appointed as labour minister
• Four more special assistants to CM also appointed

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah unveiled a significant cabinet reshuffle on Friday, involving key portfolio reassignments and the induction of two new members, and bringing the number of cabinet members to 23.

In addition to changes at the ministerial level, the provincial government also appointed four more special assistants to the chief minister.

Political observers viewed the reshuffle as mere eyewash, which comes at a time when the provincial government is under increasing pressure over governance failures, especially in Karachi, where sanitation, water supply, and urban planning remain unresolved issues.

Senior PPP leader Saeed Ghani, who is the party’s Karachi president, was stripped of his local government portfolio in the reshuffle, with Nasir Hussain Shah, who previously oversaw the Planning and Development Department, taking over the LG role along with the portfolio of the Energy Department.

Mr Ghani was given the portfolio of labour and social protection, which he had earlier held before being assigned the LG department ministry.

Muhammad Ismail Rahoo was allotted the Ministry of University and Boards Department, which he had also held in the previous tenure of the PPP-led Sindh government.

According to a notification issued by the chief secretary, the governor appointed Mr Rahoo as the provincial minister on the advice of the CM.

Later, in a simple ceremony, Governor Muhammad Kamran Tessori administered the oath to Mr Rahoo.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers, advisors, Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi and Inspector General of Police, Sindh, Ghulam Nabi Memon were also present on the occasion.

The ceremony, held at the Governor House, was moderated by Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah.

The chief secretary also announced the appointment of Giyanoo Mal alias Giyan Chand Essarani as advisor to the chief minister for the rehabilitation department.

Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman was moved from the rehabilitation department to the food department. In turn, Jabbar Khan, who previously managed the food department, was reassigned to head the relief department.

Other changes saw Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro given the additional charge of the Planning and Development department, Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman moved from rehabilitation to the food Department, replacing Jabbar Khan.

In addition to changes at the ministerial level, the provincial government also made adjustments among advisers and appointed four more special assistants – Dr Sham Sunder K. Advani, Faraz Abid Lakhani, Muhammad Tariq Hassan and Atta Muhammad Panhwar.

Dr Sham Sundar was given the portfolio of minority affairs, Muhammad Ali Rashid information science and technology, while Sarfraz Rajar was handed charge of the archives department.

A spokesman for the CM House said that the special assistants were not cabinet members.

Earlier on July 2, 2024, Lal Chand Ukrani, Sardar Faraz Rajar, Qasim Naveed Qamar, Waqar Mehdi, Rajveer Singh, Mansoor Shahani, Usman Hignoro, Abdul Jabbar Khan, Junaid Baloch, and Muhammad Saleem Baloch had been appointed as special assistants to the chief minister.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2025