LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar to wait for his future role until he (Mr Sharif) consults his aides on the issue.

A source close to the governor told Dawn on Tuesday that Chaudhry Sarwar had in his meeting with Mr Sharif on Monday formally offered to resign as governor if the ruling party had any complaints against him.

It was the second meeting between the two during the last seven days.

The governor was quoted as saying that he would prefer accepting any responsibility in the federal government, particularly in the overseas ministry, over the governorship.

But the prime minister said he would first consult his friends on the subject before making any decision and asked the governor to wait until then.

Chaudhry Sarwar had developed a good rapport with the Sharifs, particularly with Shahbaz Sharif, when they were in London during their exile.

While accepting the responsibility as Punjab governor, he was happy and confident that he could work with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif without fear of any personality clash. As a former UK MP, he had used his good offices in the European Parliament to win GSP Plus status for Pakistan for the much-needed financial stability of the Nawaz government.

But his honeymoon with the Shahbaz government could not last long as the latter began clipping wings of the governor by withdrawing most of his powers.

Not losing his heart, Chaudhry Sarwar explored some “non-conventional” initiatives like starting a clean water project with the financial aid of friends among overseas Pakistanis.

The Shahbaz government again came in the way fearing such initiatives could undermine the popularity of the chief minister and launched its own Saaf Paniproject.

Shahbaz Sharif was also reluctant to allow the governor play a role as mediator when PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri had refused to dismount the flight diverted from Islamabad to Lahore back on June 23. But he had to give in when Qadri refused to accept any other guarantor.

The governor’s meeting with MQM chief Altaf Husain in London reportedly without the consent of the prime minister proved to be last nail into the coffin of the Sharifs-Chaudhry relationship.

Meanwhile, Chaudry Sarwar told a ceremony here that the current situation of the country demanded all the political forces manifest maximum restraint and adopt an attitude that grants stability to the democratic system and protect national interests.

He lauded Dr Qadri’s announcement of terminating the Islamabad sit-in.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2014