KARACHI – Officials sources Saturday rejected the claims about resignation of Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad Khan.
A private TV channel reported that Ebad – who is on a private visit to Britain – had faxed his resignation to President Asif Ali Zardari from there.
But neither governor’s spokesperson nor the presidency officials confirmed that report and sources said President Zardari, who has also left the country for Dubai, had approved a four-day leave of Ebad. The governor left for London in wee hours of Friday reportedly to consult MQM chief Altaf Hussain over the political situation following Muttahida’s quitting the federal and Sindh coalition governments.
Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Khoro is currently serving as acting governor and he signed the bill restoring the 1979 local bodies system. The revocation of the People’s Local Government Act, which was framed and passed on the wish of MQM despite severe opposition by the nationalist parties, was deeply resented by the former coalition government partner.
The MQM has categorically said it will not rejoin the PPP-led coalition government. And different media reports on Friday said that there is a strong possibility that MQM’s man, Ebad, will also tender his resignation soon. Ishratul Ebad had been appointed as 30th governor of Sindh by General (r) Pervez Musharraf on December 27, 2002.