KARACHI, April 11: Twenty-one ministers were inducted by Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad into the Sindh cabinet at a simple ceremony held at the Darbar Hall of the Governor’s House on Friday.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presented his team of ministers to the governor comprising 20 PPP members and one ANP law-maker.

The team, which was finalised by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday night, comprises mostly tested and experienced parliamentarians who emerged unscathed from the trials and tribulations of the last eight years.

Though the names of the ministers have been announced, there has been no notification yet of their respective portfolios. Here are thumbnail sketches of the ministers:

Pir Mazharul Haq (PS-74 Dadu): The scion of a political family from Dadu, Pir Mazhar, also the leader of the PPP’s parliamentary party, is the grandson of former Sindh chief minister Pir Ilahi Bux.

He holds MA and LLB degrees from the University of Karachi.

He is an experienced parliamentarian. He was also elected to the assembly in 1993-96. He held the ministerial portfolios of planning in 1988-90 and law in 1993-96.

Dr Zulfiqar Mirza (PS-57 Badin): First elected MNA in 1988 and also in 1993, Dr Mirza is the son of Justice Zafar Ali Mirza and the husband of National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza.

He is said to be the most trusted person of the party leadership and was in charge of the security of Benazir Bhutto when she returned to Pakistan after exile abroad.

He has played an important role in keeping the party active during authoritarian rule in the country. This is the first time he has been elected MPA.

Agha Siraj Durrani (PS-9 Shikarpur): An experienced parliamentarian and son of former deputy speaker Agha Sadruddin, Agha Siraj is president of PPP Larkana division. He was first elected MPA in 1988 and was made minister of town planning. He returned to the assembly in 1990 and again in 1993. He has served as minister of education.

Shazia Marri (women’s reserved seat): Ms Marri is also from a political family. Her grandfather was MLA in 1944-45 while her father was deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly. Her mother was also an MPA in 1985-86.

She is a graduate and has done courses in business administration from the USA. She was elected to the assembly for the first time in the 2002 elections.

Sassui Palejo (PS-85 Thatta): The daughter of former MPA Ghulam Qadir Palejo, Ms Palejo holds an MA degree from the University of Sindh and an LLB degree from the University of London.

She was elected to the assembly for the first time in the 2002 elections from a general seat.

Begum Nargis N.D. Khan (women’s reserved seat): She is vice-president of the PPP Sindh women’s wing. She is the wife of well-known PPP leader Prof N.D. Khan.

Manzoor Hussain Wassan (PS-32 Khairpur): A law graduate from Khairpur Law College, Mr Wassan is an experienced parliamentarian. He was elected MPA for the first time in 1988 and again in the 1990 elections. In 1993 he had contested and won a National Assembly seat.

Ayaz Soomro (PS-37 Larkana): Mr Soomro holds MA and LLB degrees from the University of Sindh. He started his political career from the Municipal Committee Larkana. He was elected MPA for the first time in the 2002 elections.

Syed Murad Ali Shah (PS-73 Dadu): The son of former chief minister Syed Abdullah Shah, Murad Ali Shah is a graduate from the NED University and holds a Masters degree in Engineering Economic Systems and Structural Engineering from Stanford University, California.

Before his election to the Sindh Assembly in 2002, he had worked for 15 years in different institutions as an engineer including HAD, Wapda and project director of KFHA.

Saifullah Dharejo (PS-3 Sukkur): Jam Saifullah is a seasoned parliamentarian and a prominent leader of the PPP. He is at present the president of PPP Sukkur division. Before his election as MPA in 2002, he represented his constituency in the National Assembly.

Syed Ali Nawaz Shah (PS-65 Mirpurkhas): Ali Nawaz Shah is a former senator and minister of industries. Before the 2008 elections, he had also remained an MPA in 1993-96.

Nadir Ali Magsi (PS-40 Larkana): An experienced parliamentarian, Nadir Magsi was minister of local government in 1993.

Jam Mehtab (PS-5 Ghotki): The president of PPP district Ghotki, Jam Mehtab also returned to the assembly in 2002. His father Jam Mumtaz was also a prominent parliamentarian.

Sajid Jokhio (PS-130 Karachi): Elected to the Sindh Assembly for the first time in 2002, Sajid Jokhio is a landlord and associated with the real estate business.

Dr Dayaram (PS-72 Dadu): Dr Dayaram has done his graduation from Liaquat Medical College, Jamshoro. In 2002, he was an MPA from the minorities’ reserved seats but in 2008 he returned from the general seats.

Akhtar Jadoon (PS-89 Karachi): Elected for the first time as member of the Sindh Assembly in 2002, Mr Jadoon is a committed party man and member of the PPP Sindh Council.

Mukesh Kumar (minorities’ reserved seat): The son of former MNA Bhagwan Das, Mukesh Kumar was first elected to the assembly in 2002. By profession he is a businessman.

Abdul Haq Bhurt (PS-20 Naushehro Feroze): Elected in 2002 from Naushehro Feroze for the first time, Mr Bhurt was unseated because of litigation by Syed Murad Ali Shah. He is president of PPP Naushehro Feroze.

Abdul Jalil Memon (PS-84 Thatta): Mr Memon has been elected for the first time to the Sindh Assembly from Thatta after defeating the Shirazis. He is former general-secretary of PPP Thatta district.

Dr Tauqir Fatima (women’s reserved seat): President of the PPP Larkana division women’s wing and member of the party’s Sindh Council, Dr Tauqir Fatima was earlier elected as a member of the Larkana District Council.

Amir Nawab (PS-93 Karachi): Amir Nawab started his political journey from the platform of the Pakhtun Students’ Federation. Before joining the Awami National Party, he played a role in organising the Pakhtun Ulsi Committee. He has remained a member of the central executive committee of the ANP for the last several years.

When the new local government system was introduced, he was elected UC nazim in Site Town in 2000. Later, he was elected nazim of Site Town.

He holds MA and LLB degrees from the University of Karachi and is a disciple of Bacha Khan.

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