Punjab’s Governor-designate Syed Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood said on Sunday that he will try his best to live up to the expectations of President Asif Ali Zardari.
Makhdoom Mehmood, the president of the Punjab chapter of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), was nominated by President Zardari to replace Sardar Latif Khosa last week. He will be formally sworn in on December 25.
Speaking at a news conference in Bahawalpur, Makhdoom Mehmood sought to dispel the impression that PML-F chief Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi expelled him from the party after he accepted the president’s offer. “I resigned from the party myself,” he claimed.
He also denied reports that he has joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), saying that as a governor he could not join any political party. “I’ll remain a ‘Muslim Leaguer’ at heart,” he added.
The governor-designate promised that in his new role he would try to maintain good relations with all political parties, adding that he had relatives in different parties.
About the proposed Bahawalpur province, Makhdoom Mehmood sought to quash the impression that his appointment as governor would adversely affect the process. On the contrary, he claimed that his appointment would speed up the process.
He said that as governor, he would do is utmost to get the resolution for the Bahawalpur province approved by the national and provincial assemblies. He went on to add that he would continue as head of the core committee on Bahawalpur province, stressing that the governor’s office is a constitutional post.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2012.
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