Political manoeuvring: Four months on, Sindh awaits governor

Sindh PA speaker assumed additional charge of federation’s representative despite being jailed

KARACHI:

Nearly four months have elapsed, since the President of Pakistan accepted the resignation of then governor Imran Ismail, yet the ruling coalition has still not found a replacement for him instead relying on the coveted slot to be run from a sub-jail.

While the appointment of Ismail’s successor hangs in the balance, the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly, Agha Siraj Durrani, who was under house arrest for an assets beyond means case, performs the duty of the acting governor - a largely ceremonial position. The incumbent federal government’s coalition partner, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), who were given the opportunity to name some from their ranks for the slot, nominated Nasreen Jalil, a while back.

However, after Jalil’s name was recommended, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in particular started an online vitriol of her, pointing out that she had written a letter, a copy of which is available with the Express Tribune, to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, back in 2015, and asked of them to take note of the “lawlessness of the law enforcement agencies” and to use their office “in improving the situation for urban Sindh.” MQM’s Rabita Committee member, Zahid Mansoori, when asked if the letter was the reason that Jalil’s name had been rejected, replied in the negative stating that the current delay in nominating a name for governor was the party’s own doing.

“This appointment is not on our agenda currently. Instead, we want that the agreement that the PML-N and PPP signed with us should be honoured,” Mansoori informed, adding that the limbo on the governor’s appointment would remain until their core demands were addressed. When asked to elaborate on these demands, Mansoori said that the MQM wanted empowerment of the local government system, re-opening of their sector offices and units, recovery of the party’s missing persons, and fairness in the delimitation process of constituencies.

“If we wanted, we could have put pressure on the federal government for the appointment of our governor, but we have other priorities right now,” Mansoori remarked. A provincial leader of the PML-N, when asked as to when the MQM’s demand would be addressed said, “MQM has demanded more funds for the constituencies of its elected MNAs and Karachi Development Package but we are in a financial crunch at the moment.”

Barrister Zamir Ghumro, former Advocate General of Sindh, believes that the delay in appointing a governor might be the PPP’s doing.

“The governor of any province enjoys immunity from appearing in the courts. The official notification about the appointment is issued to the concerned authorities including courts, therefore, Agha Siraj Durrani, cannot appear in the court till he enjoys the acting charge of the governor,” the barrister explained. However, sources privy to the matter in the jails department told The Express Tribune that the Speaker had not been granted bail.Sindh Information Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, commenting on the situation, said that there was no harm if any jailed speaker was working as governor. “The cases against Agha Sahab are political and fabricated. Nothing has been proved. So, how can we leave the governor’s office empty? It is a constitutional requirement,” Memon said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2022.