ISLAMABAD - The PPP leadership is actively considering changing the governor only of Sindh before the general elections, sources in the ruling coalition said on Thursday.
Well-placed parliamentary sources told TheNation that President Asif Ali Zardari has decided to change Sindh governor Dr. Ishratul Abad, the MQM man who has enjoyed the longest period in the office.
Since the MQM has now parted ways as PPP’s coalition partner, it has become impetrative to have party’s own loyalist as provincial governor before the elections, the sources said, adding that there were several names under consideration for the provincial governorship.
“There is no change on the cards as far as changing or replacing the sitting governors in Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pukhtoonkhawa provinces is concerned,” a senior PPP leader said on condition of anonymity.
He was of the view that there was no need to change the sitting governors of three provinces before the polls. He rejected the PML-N ‘s demand for changing the provincial governors. “The demand of the main opposition party is nothing but a point scoring,” he maintained.
However, he confirmed that the party leadership was actively considering changing the Sindh governor before the elections. Other sources said that PPP leadership has already changed the governors in the provinces it deemed essential before the elections.
They included the governors of Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhawa provinces. The governor of Balochistan would continue in his office regardless of whether the governor rule is lifted and the provincial is restored, the sources added.