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KARACHI, Dec 27: Dr Ishratul Ibad of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was inducted as the 31st governor of Sindh on Friday. He was administered the oath by Sindh High Court Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad at a ceremony held on the lawns of the Governor’s House.
Soon after the oath-taking ceremony, the new governor told newsmen that all efforts would be made to eliminate rural-urban divide in the province.
“Any person living in Sindh and hailing from any province would be provided constitutional and legal protection. The law and order problem would be resolved and a sense of security would be created among people,” he said.
Announcing that he had resigned from the basic membership of the MQM, Mr Ibad invited all political parties to come forward and play their role in resolving the outstanding problems of the province.
“We would like to take all parties, including the opposition parties, along to evolve consensus how to resolve the issues confronting the province and formulate a strategy for the development of the province.”
He said that every issue would be addressed on merit and law and order would be maintained.
In reply to a question about the “no-go areas”, he said that being the governor he was a representative of the president and it was his duty to see to it that all orders of the president were implemented in letter and in spirit.
Earlier, the commission of appointment was read out by Sindh Chief Secretary K.B. Rind soon after Mr Ibad arrived at about 6.40pm. He was led by the chief justice and accompanied by Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar.
The ceremony, attended among others by the representatives of armed forces, judges, lawyers, PML-Q leaders and businessmen, was started with the recitation from Holy Quran.
ARRIVAL: Earlier, on arrival from Islamabad at the Karachi airport, Mr Ibad said he had come with determination to serve all people residing in Sindh without any discrimination of colour, race and religion.
“I would take up the case of Sindh with the federation,” he said.
He said that President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali had assured him of resolving all problems facing the province.
Referring to those who had protested over his appointment, he said it was due to some misgivings and he would like to talk to them. He held out the assurance that during his tenure no one’s feelings would be hurt.
Dr Ibad said he would contact all people in the opposition and revealed that he had already talked to Prof Ghafoor Ahmad and Nisar Khuhro and they had expressed their good wishes for him.
In reply to another question, he said that 1973 Constitution was a reality and parliament had come into existence on the basis of the Constitution and he would take the oath under the same Constitution.
Answering yet another question, he said as far as his knowledge was concerned, there was no case against him.
Mr Ibad was given a warm welcome by the party workers and supporters with slogans of Jeay Altaf and Jeay Muttahida. He was taken in a procession to the MQM’s headquarters “Nine Zero”.
