PESHAWAR: Iqbal Zafar Jhagra took oath of the office of Khyber Pakhtun­khwa Governor on Friday at a ceremony marred by sloganeering by rival groups within the PML-N.

The ceremony virtually turned into a public meeting with thousands of workers shouting slogans in favour of leaders of their groups in the party. Mr Jhagra was central general secretary of the party and had been elected to the Senate from Islamabad.

An official said that more than 5,000 guests had been invited to the oath-taking ceremony. Another official said that about 3,500 chairs had been placed on the lawns of the Governor House, but despite that, hundreds of guests, including senior officers and parliamentarians, could not find a place to sit.

Besides, hundreds of workers could not enter the Governor House after security staff had closed the gate.

Riot police deputed in front of the dais to control the worked-up party workers failed to calm them down.

Mr Jhagra himself appealed to them to exercise patience and sit down. But when the sloganeering continued, he warned: “For God’s sake stop the disturbance and sit down. Otherwise you will be expelled from the function.”

Chief Secretary Amjad Ali Khan, who was asked to read aloud the order of appointment, only managed to reach the stage with the help of police personnel.

Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel administered the oath to Jhagra, who has replaced Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan.

Federal ministers, Lt-Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch and Akram Khan Durrani, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, provincial ministers, former governors, diplomats and senior officials attended the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2016