The second round of negotiations, between Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Leader of the Opposition in the dissolved provincial assembly Rana Ansar to select a name for the caretaker chief executive, remained inconclusive.
The talks between the leader of the House and the opposition Leader were held at Sindh Chief Minister House on Sunday. During the meeting, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) leader Ali Khursheedi was also present.
Speaking to journalists after the huddle, Ansar said: “We need time to finalise the name [for interim CM].”
She expressed hope that the name of the caretaker chief minister will be finalised during the third round of talks slated to be held tomorrow (Monday). “Our leadership will table name [for the coveted slot] tomorrow after consultation.”
The MQM-P leader said that she would discuss the names proposed by the Sindh CM with her party leadership, adding that the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) also proposed a few names for the slot.
Ansar said they would try to reach a consensus on selecting a name for the interim CM. In case of their failure for reaching a consensus on a name for the province’s caretaker chief minister, the matter would then be presented before the parliamentary committee, she added.
On August 11, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori signed the summary sent by CM Murad which sought the dissolution of the provincial assembly.
“The summary of dissolution of Sindh Provincial Assembly has been signed,” the governor said in a post on the microblogging website X, previously known as Twitter.
It is pertinent to mention that the ruling PPP had discussed the names of Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqir and former Sindh chief secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah for the coveted position whereas the opposition had also discussed a few names for the slot which include Dr Safdar Abbasi, Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi, Shoaib Siddiqui and Younus Dagha.
After the meeting, Murad Ali Shah addressed a press conference and expressed his gratitude to the provincial cabinet for its support and for remaining steadfast in the most difficult time.
“In August 2018, the federal government and the opposition [in Sindh Assembly] took undemocratic measures,” CM Murad lamented. “However, the PPP and my cabinet supported me. I had a good time in difficult circumstances.”
He also criticised former prime minister Imran Khan for ‘disowning the Sindh government’. The outgoing provincial chief executive added that the then-federal government and the provincial opposition made it difficult to run the affairs of the Sindh Assembly.
