PPP demands Sindh governor's removal

Party calls for pre-govt formation governorship plan

LAHORE:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has demanded the removal of Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori to implement the governorship formula agreed upon prior to the formation of the current government, while also denying the existence of any half-term formula for Balochistan.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Sindh Government spokesperson MPA Sadia Javeed said that the formula agreed with PPP before the government's formation stipulated that two governors would belong to PPP and two to PML-N.

She added that PPP had indeed received its share, but in Sindh, PML-N had yet to appoint its governor. She noted that the current governor, a nominee of MQM, despite holding a constitutional position, attended a press conference organized by MQM leaders against PPP.

Asked why this was an issue for her party if PML-N had qualms with an MQM governor, she said the governor was participating in political events against her party.

Sadia also denied the existence of any half-term formula in Balochistan, as suggested by a PML-N senator.

She said Balochistan Chief Minister Sardar Sarfraz Khan Bugti government was "going nowhere" and there were no threats to the Balochistan Assembly.

She added that she had not heard of any 2.5-year term formula whereby PML-N would get the remaining term in Balochistan. This comes after PML-N Senator Mir Dostain Khan Domki reportedly claimed the previous day that PPP and PML-N had agreed to change the chief minister under a half-term formula.

Earlier, responding to an MQM leadership press conference, Sadia said the party should focus on strengthening the local government system instead of targeting PPP.

She stated that Sindh currently has the "most empowered and constitutionally strongest local government system in all of Pakistan."

Sadia added that if MQM admired Punjab's model, "where there is no mayoral institution to begin with", they should openly acknowledge this reality.