The federal government on Saturday proposed the named of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Baligh-ur-Rehman for the coveted office of Punjab governor.
According to reports, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already sent a summary to President Dr Arif Alvi, advising him to appoint Baligh-ur-Rehman as the Punjab governor.
The PML-N leader had already served as minister for federal education and professional training from August 2017 to May 2018 during former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s tenure. He was elected a member of the National Assembly (MNA) on a PML-N ticket in 2008 and later in 2013.
On the other hand, some media reports claim that President Alvi has instructed Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema to continue holding the office until a decision was made on the summary for his removal.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain has resigned as the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) chairman after a service of five years and eight months.
In his letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Lt Gen (r) Hussain cities personal and family compulsions behind his resignation. However, another report claimed the chairman was not willing to work under the present government. It was said he was facing pressure from the government for early completion of some projects. His argument with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the completion of Diamer-Bhasha Dam three years before the deadline was also reported in some sections of the media during the latter visit to the project site a few weeks ago.
The project was set to complete in 2029, but Shehbaz Sharif directed the authority to make efforts to complete it by 2026.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had appointed Lt Gen (r) Hussain as the chairman of the authority on August 24, 2016. The former PTI government extended his term for another five years in 2021.
Talking to the media, he said he would talk in details about “some matters” after the acceptance of his resignation. On the other hand, the federal government also decided to appoint Ashtar Ausaf Ali as the new attorney general if Pakistan (AGP).
According to reports, the Law Ministry has forwarded a summary regarding his appointment. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also confirmed that the decision had been made after his meeting with Shehbaz Sharif earlier in the day. Ausaf had earlier served as the 32nd AGP during the previous PML-N regime. The representatives of the bar associations have also reportedly recommended Ausaf’s name for the appointment.
At the end of his previous tenure, he received praises for persuading the government to separate the attorney general’s office from the Law Ministry and making it an independent institution.
