LAHORE - The PML-N government has decided to replace Punjab Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar with one either from South Punjab or Rawalpindi division.
Reliable sources in the ruling party confided to this scribe that Governor Sarwar who had relinquished his British nationality to qualify for this office wants an office where restraints of the governorship do not prevent him from playing an active role in the development works of the province.
Contrary to that, certain media reports say Ch Sarwar is not comfortable with the government due to stumbling blocks put in his efforts towards providing clean water to the educational institutions and the far-flung areas of the province, disregard of his schemes on the education side and insufficient acknowledgement of his efforts to get GSP Plus status for Pakistanis textile products in the European Union. On poor healthy facilities and police system, the governor also had reservations on which he wanted the government to take prompt action, they suggest.
The governor was not happy with the officialdom for hampering his work in the field of education. He has recently got a house on rent in Defence which fortified the impression about his displeasure with the government and impending decision to quit the office.
In the recent past, the chief minister twice met the governor obviously to share the government point of view with him on the said matters and later on Monday the prime minister himself went to the Governor’s House where he discussed political and other relevant matters with him.
Sources say after failure of both the CM and the PM to convince him to retain the present slot, the government has begun to look for his replacement which may take place either before the start of Muharramul Haram or immediately after 10th of Muharram.
They said the PML-N leadership is considering different names for the next governor who may preferably be from South Punjab though some names from Rawalpindi division are also under discussion. They name senior members of the party, Senator Ch Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar, Senator Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana and Saood Majid from South Punjab and PML-N Chairman Senator Raja Zafarul Haq or PML-N Punjab Secretary General Raja Ashfaq Sarwar from Rawalpindi. They sources say tilt of the party leadership is towards Ch Jaffar who has also been named as the federal cabinet member.
As per the sources, the N-leadership is trying to persuade Ch Muhammad Sarwar to remain attached with the federal government in the capacity of an adviser with the status of a minister so that he could play an active role in the development projects of the country. The governor, however, wants to take time to decide on this option. The sources say expansion in the Punjab cabinet which was due by October 20, but was delayed due to the governor’s issue is now expected within a couple of days.