Imran Ismail sworn in as Sindh governor

Imran Ismail, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was sworn in on Monday as Sindh’s 33rd governor in a ceremony held at the Governor House.

Chief Secretary Azam Suleman Khan conducted the swearing-in ceremony and Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, the chief justice of the Sindh High Court, administered the oath of office to the new governor.

After taking the oath of office, the new governor held his first meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who congratulated Ismail on his swearing-in and for assuming the charge of the top provincial position.

The governor thanked the chief executive for extending the felicitations to him, and said the confidence of the people in the system of democracy would be further strengthened with taking actions regarding public welfare on a widespread basis.

He said that in this regard the federal government would provide the utmost cooperation to the provincial government. The new governor said he would do his best to maintain a harmonious relationship between the Centre and Sindh.

Ismail also met a delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) comprising party leaders Faisal Ali Subzwari and Khawaja Izharul Hassan, who apprised the governor of Karachi’s problems.

The MQM leaders said the new governor is fully informed about the problems of the metropolis, and they expect that he would make the best efforts to get them resolved at the earliest. The Muttahida leaders said they would extend full support at every step to the new government in the best interests of the citizens of the province.

The new governor thanked the MQM delegation for extending their greetings to him on assuming the new position. He said it was a welcoming sign that every concerned stakeholder in the province is full of energy and enthusiasm to work in the best interests of Sindh’s citizens.

Earlier in the day Ismail submitted his resignation to the Sindh Assembly Secretariat as a lawmaker through PTI MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman. In last month’s general elections Ismail was elected from Karachi’s provincial assembly constituency PS-111 (South-V).

Ismail had said previously that after assuming the office of the Sindh governor, he would not reside in the palatial Governor House in Karachi and continue living at his personal residence.

He said he would use the Governor House only for official work, adding that being the provincial governor he would lead a simple life in accordance with the vision of his political leader Imran Khan, the PTI chairman and the country’s prime minister.

Ismail said he would be the governor of the entire province and not of any particular city, as he would bring on board all the concerned stakeholders of Sindh for the sake of its progress. He said that resolving the water problem of the residents of the province would be his highest priority.

He also said he would act as a bridge between the new federal and Sindh governments for the sake of development and progress of the province and for getting the due resources from the Centre for the purpose.

On Tuesday (today) Ismail would visit the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to pay his respects to the Founder of the Nation after taking over the coveted constitutional position.

The oath-taking ceremony at the Governor House was attended by the CM, Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Khan Durrani, Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Shahid Baig Mirza, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, Sindh Rangers Director General Maj Gen Mohammad Saeed, Sindh Inspector General of Police Amjad Javed Saleemi, parliamentarians, diplomats, senior officials and other representatives from different walks of life.