PESHAWAR: Khyber Paktunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali has approved a summary for removal of the caretaker minister for industry, commerce and revenue, Adnan Jalil, from the cabinet.

Governor’s House confirmed that the summary for removal of the caretaker minister, affiliated with Awami National Party, was approved.

However, the notification of his removal from the caretaker cabinet was not yet issued. Jalil, however, is unaware of the reasons for his removal.

Sources privy to the development said Jalil’s removal from the caretaker cabinet was the consequence of his refusal to follow ‘party’ directions.

Adnan Jalil refuses to cite reasons for his removal from the cabinet

They said that the first summary to remove him was sent by the caretaker chief minister, Mohammad Azam Khan, around 15 days ago to the governor, who rejected it by stating that the summary lacked solid reasons for his removal from the cabinet.

They stated that a second summary was moved by Mr Khan on Thursday which the governor signed on Wednesday and sent it to the chief minister secretariat. They added that since Mr Khan was not present in the provincial capital, Jalil was still part of the caretaker cabinet.

Mr Jalil, when contacted, said that his name was proposed for the caretaker cabinet by ANP. He added that if ANP was no more interested in him as their man in the caretaker cabinet, he could not stay there. He refused to cite reasons for his removal.

“ANP has requested to replace me,” he told Dawn where at the same time confirmed that the second summary was signed by the governor. He also said that he had not talked to the governor neither was he contacted by the Governor’s House.

Mr Jalil said that he was still with the party and would never be disloyal.

He said that ANP was his party if it wanted to carry on with him as a member. He said that even if the governor did not sign the summary, he would automatically be removed from the cabinet.

“There is a 10-day period from the day the summary is received by the governor. Even if the governor does not sign it, I will no more be member of the caretaker cabinet after expiry of the deadline as per the law,” he said.

Sources said that things went wrong between Mr Jalil and his party after he raised voice against irregularities in his departments. “He wanted to remove a few persons over corrupt practices which the party was not happy with,” they said.

Adnan Jalil, son of ANP late leader Haji Mohammad Adeel and former president of chamber of small industry, was sworn in as caretaker minister on January 26.

The developments have come at a movement when ANP and Governor Ghulam Ali of JUI-F are at loggerheads. ANP has accused the governor of making attempts to change loyalties of ANP leaders by inviting them to join JUI-F.

On July 9, the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that ANP members visited them even when their party was in power.

He added that he felt sorry for those involved in mudslinging. He also said that ANP itself proposed the name of Ghulam Ali for the governorship.

The next day, on July 10, ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan alleged and named former federal minister and senior ANP leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour for having been contacted by the governor.

He said that it was his mistake to support Ali for the governorship.

“We have no issues with JUI-F but small men at big office,” a statement issued from Bacha Khan Markaz on July 10 quoted Wali as saying.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2023