KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Imran Ismail, whose party has named him as the new governor of Sindh, said on Monday that Imran Khan would announce a big development package for Sindh, including Karachi, after taking oath as the country’s new prime minister.

He said this while talking to newsmen before the maiden session of the 15th Sindh Assembly. Mr Ismail, who was elected from a provincial assembly seat (PS-111) in Karachi in the July 25 elections, also took oath as an MPA.

He is set to resign from the assembly after being notified as the new governor of Sindh once Mr Khan takes oath as the PM. He would replace Muhammad Zubair of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz who had tendered his resignation to President Mamnoon Hussain on July 28.

Mr Ismail told reporters that being the representative of the federal government he would monitor the implementation of all public sector development programme (PSDP) projects in Sindh.

Imran Ismail formally invites MQM-P to join PTI-led federal govt

When asked about a delay in naming the leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, where the PTI is the largest opposition party with 30 members, he said that the PTI had already finalised a name but it would be announced by the party chief after consultation with other opposition parties including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the Grand Democratic Alliance and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan.

In reply to a question, he said he would like to work along with the new Sindh chief minister as being the governor he would be the bridge between the federal and provincial governments.

He said that the PTI was committed to implementing its manifesto to root out corruption because Pakistan could not make progress without eliminating the menace.

Earlier, he said that he would use the offices in the sprawling Governor House and would curtail its expenditures until a decision about proper use of the historic building was reached.

He said he would not restrict his movement to Karachi only but he would be visiting other parts of the province as well to oversee the implementation of the PSDP projects, which would be executed under a special package to be given by the prime minister for carrying out development work.

PTI formally invites MQM-P to join govt

Later, Mr Ismail along with PTI leader Haleem Adil Shaikh visited the temporary headquarters of the MQM-P in Bahadurabad.

He held a meeting with MQM-P leaders Amir Khan, Kanwar Naveed Jameel and others.

Talking to reporters, Mr Ismail said that in today’s meeting the PTI had formally invited the MQM-P to join its coalition government at the Centre, as a strong government was necessary for political stability and solution of the people’s problems.

He said that the meeting also discussed the issue of missing persons.

Mr Ismail said that immediate steps would be taken for the recovery of the missing persons and they would be produced in courts if any criminal case was registered against them.

He said that his party had completed its homework on an upcoming Karachi package and all political parties would jointly work for the development of the metropolis.

About quota system, he said that a judicial commission would be set up so that it could review legal position of the quota system and make its recommendations.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2018

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