Summary Some articles of 18 Amendment limit ministries to 11% of total Assembly strength.
ISLAMABAD (Online) - All ‘good days’ for parliamentarians ‘aspiring for fertile zones’ of lucrative ministries end with enforcement of some articles of 18th amendment.
These articles of 18th Amendment were due to come in force after elections , which contain a ‘major setback for aspiring parliamentarians’ of limiting ministries to 11% of total Assembly strength.
This translates into total abiding by the constitution, whose article 92 clearly outlines the formation of federal government; as section 1 aptly defines that “President shall appoint federal and state ministers from amongst Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) on the advice of Prime Minister”.
Senators in federal cabinet shall not exceed more than 1/4th of Cabinet, while article 130, section B asserts that Provincial cabinet shall be 15 , or not exceed 11% of total Provincial Assembly’s strength and would be answerable to the Provincial Assembly.
Observers, analysts finalize the total ministers at maximum of 49, all inclusive of federal, state ministers and advisors, Punjab cabinet having maximum of 41, Sindh 19 ministers, while Balochistan and KPK are limited to 15 cabinet members.
Former PPP federal cabinet had ‘swelled’ to an unprecedented 60, while even such a smaller Provincial cabinet of Balochistan had 50 ministers, because almost the entire Assembly had shifted to official benches, leaving behind Yar Muhammad Rind as the sole opposition member !
