PML-N's Baligh-ur-Rehman to be new Punjab governor

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to appoint former federal minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Syed Baligh-ur-Rehman as new Punjab governor, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Well-informed sources told ARY News that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent a summary to President Dr Arif Alvi seeking the appointment of Baligh-ur-Rehman as the governor of Punjab.

This is the second time that PM Shehbaz Sharif sent a summary to President Dr Arif Alvi to remove Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and appoint new governor in his place.

Governor Cheema took oath of his office on April 3 by the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government after Chaudhry Sarwar was removed from the post over the accusations of persuading Aleem Khan group to vote in favour of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hamza Shehbaz.

READ: AHMED MEHMOOD LIKELY TO BECOME NEW PUNJAB GOVERNOR

Since taking charge, Cheema had termed the resignation of Usman Buzdar ‘unconstitutional’ as the former governor accepted the resignation despite it being not handwritten as per the Constitution which should be addressed to the governor.

Governor Cheema had also raised objections over the election of Hamza Shahbaz as the Punjab chief minister and termed it ‘unconstitutional’ as well. He also refused to take oath from CM Hamza.

Who is Baligh-ur-Rehman?

Hailing from Bahawalpur, Rehman also served as Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, in the Abbasi cabinet from August 2017 to May 2018.

Previously he served as the Minister of State Federal Education and of Interior and Narcotics Control in Sharif cabinet from 2013 to 2017.

Mr. Rehman had also been a member of the National Assembly (NA) from 2008 to May 2018.