President Asif Ali Zardari has given his approval for the appointment of governors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan on Saturday.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari nominated two senior party leaders for the posts of KP and Punjab governors a day earlier, as part of an agreement reached with the PML-N before joining the coalition government.
In Balochistan, sources indicate that Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, president of the PML-N’s provincial chapter, has been appointed as the new governor.
A press release from the presidency today confirmed the appointments of PPP Central Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi as the governor for KP, Sardar Saleem Haider for Punjab, and Mandokhail for Balochistan, under Article 101(1) of the Constitution.
Bilawal extended his best wishes to the appointees, expressing hope that they would “represent the federation in a better way”.
Following the nominations on Friday, Bilawal met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House to inform him about the decision. During the meeting, the issue of governors for the two provinces was discussed.
PML-N leader Balighur Rehman and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Haji Ghulam Ali currently hold the positions of Punjab and KP governors respectively. Mandokhail’s appointment was sent to President Zardari after the approval of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Mandokhail confirmed the development when contacted by Dawn, indicating that he will replace Malik Abdul Wali Khan Kakar, who was appointed to the post in 2022.
The appointments come as part of a cooperation mechanism agreed upon by the PPP and PML-N, with the support of other parties, to form a government at the Centre after the February 8 elections. As per the agreement, the PPP secured key constitutional positions, including the presidency, Senate chairmanship, and National Assembly deputy speakership, while the PML-N agreed to appoint PPP leaders as governors of two provinces.
