The news about assigning provincial Ministry of Jail Affairs to the existing Home Minster, which increased the number of Ministers without portfolio to three, provoked me to visit the website of Sindh government. I was really shocked to see the swelling Sindh Cabinet with huge number of Ministers (46), Advisors (14), enjoying status of Ministers and Special Assistants to the Chief Minster (9). Out of this train of cabinet members, at least three Ministers and six Advisors to CM are without any official assignment. These jobless ministers/advisors are enjoying all facilities and financial perks such as salaries, utilities, house allowances, luxury vehicles, security guards etc. This is unnecessary burden on the national exchequer, which must be in millions of rupees per month with no return to the nation. On the other hand with this mammoth cabinet, the law and order situation is out of control. The countryside is rife with kidnappings for ransom, dacoities and karo kari murders so much so that even in the city like Karachi, life of citizens is not secure because of everyday target killings. There is no letup in sky-high prices in day-to-day consumer goods which has broken the back of the common man. On the health side situation has developed to extremely alarming proportion as Dengue virus is spreading like bushfire and the city district governments and the provincial health authorities are as complacent as Roman Emperor Nero (64 AD); who played the flute when city of Rome was burning. What is the contribution of overloaded cabinet? Who has authorized the government to employ extras ministers and advisors when there is no work available to be assigned to them? Has the Chief Minster ever thought that the large number of Ministers and their advisors instead of solving problems, have rather increased the misery of the public by draining the national kitty which otherwise would have been utilized for the development of province. Those who have no portfolio and are only there because of their political maneuverings are like parasites, therefore, have to be expelled nonetheless. KAZI ABDUL MAJEED, Hyderabad, October 29.