KARACHI, Dec 22: Formation of the new Sindh Cabinet is unlikely before Dec 30, when Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali will seek vote of confidence in the National Assembly, sources close to the PM House confided to Dawn.

Earlier, Chief Minister Ali Muhammad Mahar, had indicated that he would form a small cabinet in a couple of days. His remarks, which came after his meeting with the PM on Dec 17, had fuelled the speculations that the first batch of provincial ministers would be inducted on Monday.

The PM had attended the CM’s swearing-in ceremony on that day.

The sources believed that the move to delay the induction of ministers for a few more days was aimed at foiling blackmail by a group which was denied a portfolio of its choice in the future cabinet for its MPA.

Mir Jamali was elected Leader of the House with a hair-split majority and a single supporter opting to vote against him on Dec 30 could result in fall of the government.

Another possible reason for the delay appeared to be the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s linking of its continued support to Mr Mahar with the appointment of its nominee, Ishratul Ibad, as Sindh Governor as per the understanding it had reached with the PM.

In the House of 163 members, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians is the largest single group with 67 members but five of them have now defected to the ruling alliance by forming a breakaway faction, PPP-Patriots.

The MQM is the second largest single party having 41 members in the assembly while Pakistan Muslim League-Q, which supported the Grand National Alliance nominee, Mr Mahar, as CM, has only 15 MPAs.

The National Alliance has 14 and PML-F has 13 members in the House whereas there are five MPAs and two independents supporting the government. The MMA has a strength of 10 members.