KARACHI: The oath-taking of Sindh Chief Minister-designate retired Justice Maqbool Baqar is likely to be delayed for another day as a decision in this regard would be taken on Wednesday.

Confiding this to Dawn, well-placed sources said that the time and date of oath-taking ceremony would be decided on Wednesday and it was most likely that the chief minister-designate would be administered oath of office on Thursday or late Wednesday night.

They said that Justice Baqar wou­ld select his cabinet members once he took oath, adding that there was a possibi­lity that some of his cabinet members wo­­u­­ld also take oath of their respective offi­ces after the interim CM’s oath-taking.

Justice Baqar, a former chief justice of the Sindh High Court and former judge of the Supreme Court, became the inter­­im chief minister earlier after Governor Kamran Tessori signed a summary for his appointment in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Justice Baqar says his primary focus would be to ensure prompt election in a transparent manner

Talking to Dawn, the CM-designate said that his primary focus would be to ensure prompt election in a transparent manner as it was the primary duty of the caretaker setup.

In reply to a question, he said he was sure that the problems facing the province were not insurmountable, provided they were faced resolutely.

Justice Baqar, known for his judgments against militants and terrorists, had survived a suicide bomb attack in 2013 on his convoy that was claimed by the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Nine people, mostly police officers and paramilitary troops, were killed in the attack.

Later, police had arrested Bashir Leghari, who was suspected of being the mastermind behind the attack.

He was said to belong to the “Asif Chotu group” of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, a banned militant outfit.

Justice Baqar has, on multiple occasions, highlighted flaws in the judiciary. In his speech at the farewell reference for him at the Supreme Court, he said that exclusion of certain judges from the hearing of sensitive cases on account of their independent and impartial views has an adverse effect on the impartiality of judges while also tarnishing the public perception about the independence and integrity of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, talking to DawnNews, he underscored the significant responsibility that came with holding public office, expressing his dedication to fulfilling it effectively.

“As I take on the role of head of the provincial government, the primary focus of the caretaker set-up will be to facilitate prompt elections, providing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with any necessary assistance they require for this purpose,” he said.

When asked about the possibility of the caretaker government conducting an accountability drive, Justice Baqar clarified that the assumption that his office would be solely accountablity-focused was unfounded. “Such reports are not true.”

Nevertheless, he emphasised that a chief minister held the obligation to ensure all endeavours were conducted with integrity, encompassing both political and moral honesty. “While there’s no specific agenda to target individuals, corruption must be curbed in all forms.”

The former chief justice of the SHC as­­serted that he would never condone any form of misappropriation or corruption. “My entire approach is grounded in up­­h­olding the principles of law and justice.”

Responding to a query regarding the cooperation of provincial governments with accountability institutions, the CM-designate stated that any provincial government not aiding accountability bodies would be tantamount to negligence in duty.

Asked about his potential choices for members of the caretaker cabinet, Justice Baqar noted that individuals in such positions would naturally desire individuals of integrity, dedication, and commitment who possess a genuine concern for the public’s welfare.

“I am earnestly desirous [of having such individuals], and with the support of people’s prayers, I remain hopeful that we can achieve this,” the former SHC CJ added.

Inquired about his approach in the event of election delays, Justice Baqar stated that he had not received indications of such delays thus far.

He, however, stressed that decisions regarding election scheduling fell under the purview of the ECP, emphasising that the caretaker government lacked the authority to make such determinations.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2023