KARACHI, Dec 19: The new Sindh cabinet which was supposed to be administered oath on Friday, is now likely to be sworn in on Monday or some time the next week.

Knowledgeable sources attribute the delay in cabinet formation to holding up official nomination of Dr Ishratul Ibad as new Sindh governor by the federal government.

The formula for distribution of 23 cabinet posts and five advisers among the coalition partners had already been settled on the basis of their representation in the provincial legislature. The formula was, reportedly, endorsed by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali before he left for Islamabad on Tuesday after attending the swearing-in ceremony of the chief minister, circles close to power brokers told Dawn.

Of the 23 portfolios, 12 would go to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, and the National Alliance would get four portfolios. The PML (Q), PML (F) and breakaway group of the PPP would get three, two and one portfolios, respectively. One slot would go to an independent.

Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar on Wednesday called on the PML (F) chief, Pir Pagara, at Kingri House and also visited the MQM headquarters to exchange views on cabinet formation. Later, in the evening the chief minister left for Islamabad and is scheduled to return here on Thursday night.

During his stay in the federal capital, Mr Mahar, besides consulting with party leaders, is also scheduled to call on President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali to get their consent before induction of the first batch of the cabinet.

It has, however, been learnt that despite a decision on the distribution of portfolios, the chief minister is under tremendous pressure from allies which are trying to get important ministries/departments such as excise and taxation, home, health, education, information and local government.

Irfanullah Khan Marwat, who is nearly certain to get a place in the cabinet on the NA quota, is, reportedly, making hectic efforts to get the home ministry which had initially been allocated for an MQM nominee.

Besides pressure from minor groups, government agencies were also, reportedly, causing delay in the induction of the cabinet, the sources said.

The MQM, which is the largest single party with 41 MPAs in the PML (Q)-led ruling alliance, amid reports that agencies are instrumental in holding up the official nomination of their nominee for the post of governor, has declined to allow its MPAs to be sworn in as ministers until Dr Ishratul Abad is administered the oath of new governor.

Under an agreement between the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and the MQM, it was decided before the election of Mr Mahar as leader of the house that the PML (Q) would back the nominee of the MQM for the governor’s office for its support to the PML (Q) nominee for the post of prime minister.

Prime Minister Jamali also has, reportedly, given his nod to the agreement with the consent of President Pervez Musharraf.

But now there were signals indicating that certain agencies had become a stumbling block in the way of cabinet formation as they were not clearing the name of Dr Ishratul Ibad for the office of the representative of the federal government, the sources said. The agencies were of the view that with its home minister and governor, the MQM could play havoc with the law and order situation in the province, the sources added.

It has also been learnt that following reports that the local bodies department is being entrusted to an MQM minister, some Nazims of the district government have expressed their concern about smooth functioning of the new local government system under the devolution plan, fearing interference in the working of the government by the MQM.

Because of their concern the agencies have suggested to the government to allocate some other portfolio to the MQM if it is serious about the success of the devolution plan.

The following names are, however, being mentioned in political circles likely to be inducted into the cabinet. They are Arif Jatoi and Arbab Ghulam Rahim from the National Alliance, Ali Bakhsh Shah alias Papoo Shah and Iftikhar Chaudhry from the PML (Q), Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi from the PML (F), Manzoor Panhwar from the breakaway group of the PPP, and Nadir Akmal Leghari from among the independents. From the MQM side the names being mentioned are Syed Sardar Ahmed, Shoaib Bokhari, Mohammed Husain, Rauf Siddiqui, Faisal Sabzwari and Aslam Rajput.

A woman, as minister, is also likely to be inducted into the cabinet at a later stage. It is, however, not yet known from which party the woman minister would be.