• Sindh CM-elect gets 112 votes against MQM-P nominee Khurshidi’s 36
• JI, PTI-backed MPAs boycott vote; GDA trio skips session

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday comfortably won the election of the chief minister of Sindh for a third consecutive term in a one-sided contest against Ali Khurshidi of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), as his opponents stayed away from the polling.

He secured 112 votes in the 168-member house, while his opponent only managed 36. Nine independent members backed by the PTI and one Jamaat-i-Islami lawmaker, present in the house, did not take part in the voting. Three members of the Grand Democratic Alliance skipped the session.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori is scheduled to administer the oath to CM-electe Murad Ali Shah at 6pm on Tuesday (today) in a ceremmony to be held at Governor House.

During the election of the CM, the PTI-backed MPAs, who have officially joined the Sunni Ittehad Council, gathered in front of the rostrum holding placards. They sat back on the insistence of Speaker Owais Qadir Shah after chanting slogans decrying the “rigged elections”.

‘Not an easy decision’

In his first speech as CM-elect, Murad Ali Shah paid tributes to the party leadership for leading the party and trusting him with this position, saying that it was not an easy decision.

Mr Murad Shah said that ending terrorism, operations against dacoits in riverine areas, and curbing street crimes to improve law and order were among his priorities. He said that ensuring access to clean drinking water and education for the people of the province were also among his top priorities.

Talking about the 2024 polls, he said that the PPP had many reservations about elections but it decided to adopt a legal way forward. “We will not compromise on the sovereignty of the country for a handful of seats and we will not allow anyone to take advantage of our weaknesses,” he said, adding that the country was currently facing a tough time and needed stability more than anything else.

Mr Murad Shah thanked the lawmakers who voted for him and acknowledged that abstaining from the polling was also a part of politics, which some members had chosen to do. He urged all lawmakers to engage in assembly proceedings in a productive manner.

Learning from past mistakes

Murad Ali Shah also acknowledged the importance of not repeating any mistakes made by his administration in the past. Recognising that some individuals had criticised the PPP’s electoral strategies, he said, “It is the party’s performance that earns votes.”

He also underscored the importance of uniting behind Bilawal’s leadership, asserting that the party chairman represented the “future of Pakistan”. He reiterated his belief in Bilawal’s potential to become the prime minister in the next general elections. “We are committed to serving the people of the province for the next five years,” he concluded.

Earlier, former Sindh education minister Syed Sardar Shah extended his congratulations to Murad on securing a third term as chief minister. “He has been elected for the third consecutive term due to his outstanding performance in office,” he said.

Abdul Wasim of the MQM-P also congratulated CM Murad. “The mindset and approach of this administration should be leveraged for the benefit of the province,” he said. He said that MPAs elected from the province were responsible for living up to the expectations of the people of their constituency. “I trust Murad Ali Shah will meet these expectations,” he added.

Others who also spoke on the occasion and congratulated the CM-elect in the House included PPP’s Muhammad Bux Mehar, Agha Siraj Durrani, Imdad Pitafi, Jam Khan Shoro, Marvi Fasih, Sharjeel Memon, Nuzhat Pathan, Qaim Ali Shah, and Faryal Talpur, Taha Ahmed and Ali Khurshidi of MQM-P, Muhammad Farooq of JI and PTI-independents Sajjad Soomro and Rehan Rajput.

Seasoned politician

Born in Sehwan Sharif in Jamshoro district, the CM-elect is a civil engineer by profession. After his graduation from the NED University, he joined the Water and Power Development Authority as an engineer.

He joined the Port Qasim Authority as an executive engineer and later went to the United States where he studied structural engineering and economic engineering from Stanford University.

He also served as a director of the Fish Harbour Authority. Before 2013 general elections he was declared ineligible to contest the election as he possessed dual nationality.

He later surrendered his Canadian nationality and after getting clearance from a court, he contested a by-election and became a member of the Sindh Assembly again in 2014.

He was elected as the chief minister for the first time in 2016 when the PPP decided to replace Syed Qaim Ali Shah. In 2018, he was elected as the Sindh chief minister for a second time.

No decision on governors

Separately, PPP leader Sherry Rehman termed reports regarding the appointment of governors by the PPP baseless.

“There is no truth to the rumours circulating on various media forums regarding the appointment of governors by the PPP,” said Ms Rehman.

In a statement on Monday, she assured the public that the process of shortlisting and finalising candidates for the crucial role of governors in provinces will be conducted under the direct oversight Asif Ali Zardari once he assumes the presidency.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2024