Former Punjab governor Chaudhry Sarwar flays PTI

LAHORE: Former governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership Sunday after he was sacked from office, with sources saying the decision was taken at Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi's request.

The former governor, addressing a press conference shortly after being sacked, said if there is an international conspiracy against the incumbent government then it was electing Buzdar as the chief minister.

Sarwar said that despite having several prominent candidates, including Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Khan decided to pick Usman Buzdar as the chief minister — as only he could move Punjab towards the goal of "Naya Pakistan".

"All of PTI workers — in Punjab, Pakistan — and the federal ministers complained to us whether this was the Pakistan that we wanted where the chief secretary and inspector general are changed every three months," the former governor said.

Sarwar said keeping aside everyone's reservations, he vowed to stand behind the prime minister. "On the one hand, there was the prime minister and on the other, it was the entire PTI."

"Bribery has reached the grassroots levels, but we vowed to stand with Imran Khan."

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, announcing the government's decision, said that PTI’s leader Omer Sarfaraz Cheema has been appointed as the new Punjab governor.

Sources within the federal government said that Sarwar has been removed from his post on PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi's request, for allegedly campaigning for Hamza Shahbaz in the election of the chief minister.

It is to be noted that Elahi is contesting against the Opposition's candidate, Hamza, for the coveted slot of the chief minister.

Sources said that Elahi directly complained to PM Imran Khan about Sarwar on a phone call, after which the premier advised President Arif Alvi to remove the governor.