Dar denied reports that Bashir Memon had been appointed governor. The deputy chief minister said a decision on Tessori’s successor would be made soon. Sources said the PML-N was in talks with the PPP on the matter.
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has broken his silence on behalf of the government on reports regarding the possible replacement of Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and said that a decision in this regard will be taken soon.
Reports were circulating recently that an agreement had been reached between the federal coalition partners Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) over the replacement of the Sindh governor.
The sources also said PML-N leader and former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) chief Bashir Memon could be expected to replace Tessori.
However, until today (Sunday), there has been no official announcement on the matter.
Dar denied reports that Memon had been appointed governor of Sindh but said a decision on Tessori’s successor would be taken soon.
Meanwhile, sources said the PML-N is in talks with coalition partner PPP in the matter.
Tessori on Saturday swore he would continue to serve as Sindh governor amid reports of his replacement and said he would continue to serve the people.
“Offices will come and go, but I intend to continue to serve the people until I assume the office of governor,” he said in response to a question about possible successors.
The Sindh governor said he has the confidence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
“I will continue to discharge my responsibilities as Governor of Sindh,” he added.
Earlier, sources had said the governor’s reshuffle was likely to take place within the next few days.The PML-N leadership was in touch with top PPP leaders on Friday to discuss the matter, they said.
In April, sources claimed that former Sindh caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retired) Maqbool Baqar could be appointed as the province’s new governor.
In response to these reports, MQM-P leader Khajawa Izharul Hassan also denied the possibility of Tessori being dismissed on grounds of social contract.
Hassan said that according to the social contract, if the elected chief minister repeatedly belonged to rural areas of Sindh, the governor must be a representative of urban Sindh, adding that the appointment of the incumbent governor (Tessori) was in full accordance with the social contract in force in the province.
Furthermore, on April 12 this year, PPP leader Waqar Mehdi described Tessori as “the biggest governor’s failure” in the state’s history, saying he had failed to fulfill his role as the league’s representative in the state and to forge consensus on political issues.
PPP Sindh Secretary General Waqar Mehdi called on the central PML-N ruling to immediately finalise the candidate for the new Sindh governorship, saying: “Kamran Tessori should go on leave until the PML-N elects the new governor of Sindh.”
