ISLAMABAD, March 6: The NWFP governor, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, the second longest-serving governor of the province, is expected to be replaced when President General Pervez Musharraf returns home from his visits to the Central Asia , sources told Dawn.

They claimed that Gen. Iftikhar had some six months ago expressed his desire to President Musharraf that he wanted to relinquish his office, saying that his long tenure had now been causing him mental strain.

The president, however, had advised him to continue because he had been doing a good job. Meanwhile, the sources denied reports that Commander Khalil-ur-Rahman, deputy chairman of Senate, had been selected for the job. However, they said that Commander Khalil-ur-Rahman had an edge over other contenders because he had good relations with all the political parties, including the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

When contacted, Mr Rahman toldDawnon Sunday evening that though he was being felicitated by newsmen, he had not yet been officially askedto get ready for the governorship of the NWFP.

He said that as far as he knew the governor was to be replaced next week, but denied that his name had been finalized for the post.