First meeting on caretaker CM remains inconclusive

The first meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and provincial assembly opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan on the issue of the incoming caretaker chief executive remained inconclusive on Monday.

The meeting between the outgoing provincial CM and the outgoing PA opposition leader was conducted in the chamber of the chief executive in the assembly building on the last working day of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) outgoing Sindh government, which completed its five-year constitutional term on Monday.

As the meeting remained inconclusive, both leaders reached an agreement that they should hold more discussion on the issue. It has been learnt that a total of five names suggested by the government and the opposition were discussed for the slot of the caretaker CM for the next two months.

It has also been learnt that CM Shah suggested the name of former provincial chief secretary Ghulam Ali Pasha and PPP leader Dr Qayyum Soomro for the slot of the caretaker provincial chief executive.

The opposition leader suggested the names of former Sindh home adviser Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, former federal minister Javed Jabbar and former provincial chief secretary Fazlur Rahman.

MQM-P news conference

Talking to the media after the meeting, opposition leader Hassan and MPA Faisal Ali Subzwari, both affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), said six names are being considered for the slot of the caretaker Sindh CM, as suggested by the entire opposition in the provincial assembly.

The MQM-P leaders said it is their wish that the issue of the caretaker Sindh CM should be resolved in the same cordial manner as the case of the caretaker prime minister was decided by the federal government.

They said that if both the Sindh CM and the PA opposition leader fail to reach a consensus on the issue of the caretaker chief executive, the matter will be recommended to a parliamentary committee comprising members of the provincial legislature in accordance with the procedure defined in the Constitution.  

Murad to stay on for now

It has been learnt that after the term of the PPP’s Sindh government and its cabinet expired on Monday, the outgoing CM will continue to act as provincial chief executive until a decision is made on the names of the incoming caretaker chief minister and his cabinet members.

The members of the outgoing Sindh cabinet have already started the process of vacating their offices, their official vehicles and the official facilities in their use.

Initially, it has been learnt, the ruling PPP had suggested the names of Justice (retd) Ghulam Sarwar Korai, Engr Hameer Soomro, Dr Younus Soomro and former Sindh chief secretary Ghulam Ali Pasha for the slot of caretaker provincial CM.

The opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Functional had suggested the name of former Sindh CM Ghous Ali Shah. The opposition MQM-P had suggested the names of former home adviser Aftab Ahmed Sheikh and former federal minister Javed Jabbar. The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had suggested the names of former Sindh chief secretary Fazlur Rehman and Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim.

It has not been officially disclosed as to when the Sindh CM and the PA opposition leader will conduct their next meeting to decide on a name for the incoming caretaker provincial chief executive.

According to the defined procedure, both leaders have three days to reach a consensus on the name of a caretaker Sindh CM before the matter is sent to the parliamentary committee formed especially for the purpose.