Newly-appointed Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider takes oath

LAHORE: Sardar Saleem Haider was sworn in as the Punjab governor in an oath taking ceremony held in the Governor's House, Lahore on Friday. 

Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan administered the oath to the newly appointed governor.

Earlier, the swearing-in ceremony of Sardar Saleem as Punjab governor, scheduled for May 5, had been postponed till May 7, “due to inevitable reasons”.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and other dignitaries were among the attendees of the swearing-in ceremony.

Haider was nominated for the key position of Punjab governorship by party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari earlier this month, and his appointment as Punjab governor was approved by President Asif Ali Zardari. 

According to a statement issued from the President’s Office, the head of the state accorded his approval based on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice in accordance with Article 101 (1) of the Constitution.

As per media reports, the PPP chairman met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister's House last week to finalise the name for the key slot.

Both the leaders approved the name of Haider for governorship in Punjab.

Saleem Haider's profile at a glance

Saleem Haider — a PPP loyalist — belongs to Punjab’s Attock district who also served as a former federal minister and prime minister’s aide for overseas Pakistanis in the previous tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.

Additionally, the politician is also the president of the Bilawal-led party’s Rawalpindi division.

Saleem will replace the current Governor Baligh Ur Rehman — who is a senior leader of the ruling PML-N. Baligh assumed office on May 30, 2022, after the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan-led government in the Centre.