KARACHI: Former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair announced on Sunday that he is parting ways with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after months of strained relations, which he described as “irreparable”.

The former governor revealed his decision while speaking to a private news channel and hinted at a new political venture without providing specific details. “I have not yet decided about joining any other political party, but the possibility is there that you would hear about it in the next few days,” he said.

Mr Zubair, who served as the 32nd governor of Sindh from February 2017 to August 2018, said it is “almost impossible” to return to the PML-N fold as his differences with the party “have become too vast”.

Mr Zubair is considered a close aide to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and was even appointed as his spokesman when the former prime minister was living in exile. However, he started feeling alienated within the party in mid-2023 as the party’s back-to-back decisions made him almost irrelevant, particularly in the context of Sindh, where he was serving as the PML-N president.

The joining of former Federal Investigation Agency chief Bashir Memon to the PML-N just months before the Feb 8 general elections was a significant blow to Mr Zubair’s relationship with the party.

Following the controversial results of the elections, Mr Zubair openly criticised the “flawed electoral process” and the PML-N-led government in the Centre.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2024