Sindh interim CM Justice (retd) Baqar's 10-member cabinet sworn in

The 10-member Sindh interim cabinet was sworn in on Saturday, two days after interim Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar assumed office.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori administered the oath to the newly-appointed interim ministers during a ceremony held at Governor House in Karachi.

Sindh interim CM Baqar and other officials were also present during the ceremony.

The Sindh governor has approved the appointment of caretaker ministers on the advice of the interim chief minister and a notification has been issued.

The provincial interim ministers include defence analyst Brig (retd), Haris Nawaz, former federal secretary Muhammad Younus Dagha, Mubeen Jumani, Saad Khalid Niaz, Junaid Shah, Rana Hussain, Ishwar Lal, Arshad Wali Muhammad , Omar Soomro and Khuda Bux Marri.

Last week, the Sindh Assembly was dissolved prematurely in line with the then-ruling alliance's decision to extend the 60-day deadline for holding elections to 90 days.

Subsequently, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-Pakistan) agreed on the name of Maqbool Baqar for the post of interim chief minister.

Following this, Justice (retd) Baqar took the oath of office on August 17.

Here are portfolios assigned to the interim ministers:

• Haris Nawaz: Home and Prison
• Younus Dagha: Finance, Planning and, Development, Revenue
• Mubeen Jumani: Local Government, House and Town Planning, Rehabilitation
• Saad Khalid Niaz: Health, Social Welfare, Public Health Engineering
• Junaid Shah: Youth Affairs, Sports, Culture, HR Development
• Rana Hussain: School Education, College Education, Women Empowerment
• Ishwar Lal: Irrigation
• Arshad Wali Muhammad: Tourism, Environment and Climate Change
• Omar Soomro: Law, Religious Affairs and Human Rights
• Khuda Bux Marri: Mines and Minerals 

Who is Maqbool Baqar?

Justice (retd) Baqar last served as a senior judge at the Supreme Court of Pakistan after receiving elevation from his post as the Sindh High Court chief justice on February 17, 2015. He was appointed as the top provincial judge of Sindh in September 2013. Justice (retd) Baqar retired from the apex court in April 2022.

He garnered praise for his works as an excellent and brave jurist, particularly following a targeted attack on him by a terrorist outfit due to his judicial verdicts against terrorists.

Justice (retd) Baqar was also known for his critique of the judiciary. Following his retirement in April 2022, he once publicly pointed out severe flaws in the country's judicial affairs.

Born on April 5, 1957, the senior SC judge began his legal career with his enrollment as an advocate in May 1981 after completing his LLB from the University of Karachi. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Sindh High Court (SHC) on August 26, 2002, and confirmed as an SHC judge the following year.

While he was serving at the SHC, Justice Baqar’s judgments in terrorism cases irked terrorist outfits, after which he was targeted by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi terrorists in a bomb explosion on June 26, 2013, in Karachi. He, along with personnel of law enforcement agencies, suffered injuries in the attack. But the judge returned to work after months of rehabilitative surgery.