KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday appointed Senior Food Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro as the party’s Sindh president.

He has succeeded Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who held the post along with the slot of chief minister.

The appointment of Mr Khuhro has been made by the after Mr Bhutto-Zardari held long deliberations and consultation with senior party leaders, including members of the Sindh PPP coordination committee, according to Adviser to the CM on Information Maula Bux Chandio, who made the announcement at a press conference held in the PPP media cell in Clifton on Thursday.

He was accompanied by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Minister for Agriculture Suhail Anwar Siyal, Adviser on Labour Senator Saeed Ghani, Sindh PPP coordination committee member Rashid Hussain Rabbani, Waqar Mehdi, Najmi Alam, Zulfiqar Kaimkhani and others.

Mr Chandio paid rich tribute to former Sindh PPP president and chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah for his untiring efforts and commendable contribution.

Speaking at the press conference, Nisar Khuhro expressed his gratitude to Mr Bhutto-Zardari, former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, MNA Faryal Talpur and other senior party leaders for their confidence in him. He assured them of all efforts to reach a maximum number of citizens in Karachi and other parts of the province to bring Karachiites under the PPP flag and make the city a stronghold of the party.

In reply to a question, he said that after consultation with the party leadership, he would soon announce the names of other office-bearers of the party.

Congratulating Nisar Khuhro on his election as Sindh PPP president, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed that the party would further strengthen under his leadership in the province.

He said Nisar Khuhro was a seasoned politician. He started his political journey under the leadership of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and she had groomed him as a mature politician. He rose from the position of district president of Larkana PPP in 1990, vice president of Sindh PPP in 1993 and then became president of Sindh PPP in 1997. He served as deputy leader of opposition in 1990 and leader of opposition in Sindh Assembly in 1997.

The chief minister said Mr Nisar Khuhro was a well-experienced and widely-respected politician. His struggle for party and democracy under the able leadership of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was commendable, he added.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2016