I’m a proud party worker, says appointed Punjab governor

Sardar asserts no challenge is too big and no task is too small

LAHORE:

The recently nominated governor of Punjab, Sardar Saleem Haider, has asserted his dedication to serving the province with unwavering dedication, emphasising his identity as a committed party worker rather than a traditional party leader.

"I am no party leader, I am a proud party worker," Haider said while speaking exclusively to The Express Tribune. He stressed he believes in working from dawn till dusk.

He said that he was aware of his credentials. I know that there are towering political figures in Punjab who could have served better, but the PPP leadership has reposed their trust in him.

“And I will come up to their expectation and that of the people of Punjab,” the nominated governor said when asked about the chatter within a certain section of his party against his nomination.

He said he has served the PPP for over 20 years and worked in various portfolios, and the respect he received from his party for his services was indescribable. It was this respect, he pointed out, that prompted him to make a swift decision when approached by Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, a senior PML-N leader at the time, in 2013 to join the PML-N, and later in 2018 by a PTI leader to join their party.

Responding to criticism about securing only six thousand votes, the nominated governor explained that not only did he, but also other PPP members in his area, manage to secure decent votes. However, their lead vanished during the vote count. He said, “We went from sixty-seven odd thousand to six odd thousand,” and others in his region were also victims of this “witchcraft”.

When questioned about whether he was referring to Form-47, he stated that his position does not permit him to speak explicitly, but added that certain things in Pakistan were now open secret. When asked about whether the Rawalpindi commissioner was correct about rigging, the nominated governor remarked that it was an unfortunate reality that is hard to refute.

When questioned about the challenges encountered by his predecessors and the controversial issue of appointing heads of educational institutes that arose during the tenure of the previous governor, Balighur Rehman, he responded that when one remains incorruptible, no challenge is insurmountable.
He stated that these were not issues, stressing that he would make decisions based on merit alone.

“Political considerations would not factor into state matters.” He further said that he had a plan that he preferred not to disclose at this stage.

He said that in addition to fulfilling his duties as governor, he would also assist the PPP in making a comeback in Punjab. He mentioned that he would particularly focus on his region, which he believed would undoubtedly become a party stronghold in the near future.

He expressed that his aim is to deliver, not merely to secure his governorship. He clarified that he never lobbied for this position, content with where he was. However, given this new responsibility, he is now more focused on delivery than anything else.

He expressed gratitude to President Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Faryal Talpur for bestowing upon a worker a highly coveted position.

Nominated Governor Sardar Saleem Haider remained calm and composed throughout the entire interview, even when faced with very direct questions, a rare quality in today's times. He reiterated that his focus would be on delivery rather than on optics and profile building.