Following court orders: Five advisers, special assistants resign

KARACHI: Five advisers and special assistants to chief minister, Maula Bux Chandio, Senator Saeed Ghani, Nadir Khawaja, Anthony Naveed and Qayyoom Soomro, handed in their resignations following Sindh High Court’s orders that they cannot hold the portfolios and run departmental affairs. Chandio, who worked as information adviser with the status of a minister, submitted his resignation to the CM and Ghani and Soomro, who were given the labour and Zakar and Ushr departments’ portfolios, respectively, followed suit. Meanwhile, two other special assistants, Naveed Khawaja, who was looking after the CM’s inspection team, and Anthony Naveed, in charge of faith harmony affairs, also resigned. The court has said that public offices can only be held by elected representatives, not by advisers or special assistants.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2017.