MQM-P proposes 5 names for Sindh governorship

Wasim Akhtar, Amir Khan and Nasreen Jalil among leaders nominated by the party

KARACHI:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM), a coalition party of the newly-elected government, has sent proposals to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif for governorship of Sindh.

The post became vacant when Imran Ismail resigned in the aftermath of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ouster from power through the vote of no-confidence.

The former governor sent his resignation to President Arif Alvi hours before Shehbaz took the oath as the prime minister. The president accepted his resignation nearly a week later.

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In the absence of a sitting governor, Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani is currently handling additional responsibilities.

Reportedly, the names of Waseem Akhtar, Amir Khan, Kishwar Zehra, Nasreen Jaleel and Amir Chishti have been forwarded to the prime minister by the MQM-P.

Express News reported that the names of Javed Hanif and Ahmed Chennai are also under consideration for the coveted post.

The names were sent unanimously after consulting each member of the Coordinating Committee, however, the party is open to review if objections are raised.

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On the other hand, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), another key coalition party, has nominated Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood for the governorship of Punjab. The PPP leader has previously served as the province’s governor.

It is worth mentioning here that PM Shehbaz sent the second summary for incumbent Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema’s removal from the post as the latter first refused to administer oath to chief minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz and then the new provincial cabinet.

Moreover, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has demanded the governorship of either Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) or Balochistan.