ANP shows no interest in race, JUI-F and PPP keen for slot, PML-N rejects offer for governor’s office

Peshawar   -   The issue of the governorship of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is yet to be decided between the allied parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

Sources in the PML-N claimed that the KP governorship had been initially offered to one of their leaders, but they rejected it   because their party leader said he did not want to jeopardise his political career just for governorship as it would bar him from contesting elections for provincial and national assemblies.

Meanwhile, ANP spokesperson Samar Haroon Bilour said that the party was not in the race for the KP governor slot. “We are with the PDM without any conditions. Whether we get a slot or not, we are part of the movement unconditionally,” she added.

On the other hand, JUI-F spokesman Maulana Abdul Jalil Jan said that the allies should follow what is decided mutually. “Earlier, it had been agreed that JUI-F would get the province’s governor slot. But it remains to be seen what is now decided by the alliance,” he added.

Discussing the issue, PPP spokesman Amjad Afridi said that when the coalition government of the PDM allies was being formed, it had been decided that both KP and Punjab governorships would be given to PPP. “Still things are being decided and it’s premature to say something at present,” he added.

Currently, the National Assembly has 84 members from PML-N, 56 members from the PPP, 14 members from the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan and one member from the ANP.

It merits a mention here that someone who assumed the office of the governor would have to be barred from contesting elections for the provincial and national assemblies, which is why several political heavyweights do not even want to join the office, even if it is offered to them.

Also, the governor of KP is the chancellor of public sector universities in the province and one major challenge for the upcoming governor would be to handle the weak financial affairs of several universities. This month, four state-run universities failed to pay salaries to their employees due to   financial crisis as the HEC funds for the varsities have been reduced drastically and overstaffing has also been carried out in some old universities.