ISLAMABAD: Governor of Pakistan’s populous Punjab province Mohammad Sarwar has met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and expressed his desire to play an active role in the federal government, besides looking after his gubernatorial duty, sources said yesterday.
The meeting was important against the backdrop of rumours which swirled thick and fast over the past month that Sarwar was on his way out because of his alleged meetings with firebrand opposition cleric Dr Tahir ul-Qadri prior to the latter’s launching of a movement against the government. The governor has denied the reports.
A communiqué issued after the meeting said: “Matters related to Punjab, especially those related to the working of the federal government departments in Punjab, came under discussion during the meeting.”
But sources said the governor was upset, rather frustrated, over his ceremonial job.
ECP to delimit constituencies
ISLAMABAD: After a strict warning from the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the federal government has empowered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to delimit constituencies for local governments in the provinces and at the centre through a presidential decree, official sources said yesterday.
President Mamnoon Hussain promulgated two ordinances to this effect late Tuesday night both of which will need parliamentary approval at some stage.
The presidential decree has removed one of the bigger hurdles in holding local government elections in the provinces that is pending since 2009.
Under the existing constitutional framework amended in 2010, barring the elections for provincial legislatures and two houses of parliament, all matters related to local governments have been transferred to the provinces.
AGENCIES
