Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar appointed caretaker CM Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori on late Monday night approved the appointment of Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar as caretaker Chief Minister of the province.

Outgoing Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and opposition leader in the now-dissolved provincial assembly Rana Ansar have agreed on naming Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar as the caretaker chief minister of the province.

According to a brief statement issued by the Sindh CM House, “After three-day consultations between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Leader of Opposition in the dissolved provincial assembly Rana Ansar, the two have agreed on the appointment of retired justice Maqbool Baqar as caretaker chief minister.”

“The summary for the formal appointment of Justice Baqar has immediately been forwarded to the Sindh governor Kamran Khan Tessori,” the statement added.

They subsequently signed and sent the advice to the Governor Sindh for the final approval.

Governor Kamran Tessori approved the appointment of Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar as caretaker Chief Minister under Article 224 (1A) of the Constitution.

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Chief Secretary Sindh has issued the notification of appointment of Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar as caretaker Sindh Chief Minister. Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar is expected to take oath on August 16.

MQM-P confirmed a consensus was reached on the name of Justice Baqar whose name was primarily proposed by the treasury and it was agreed upon by the opposition after a lengthy discussion within the party and with its allies.

Ms Ansar told reporters outside the CM House it was a “win-win situation” for the treasury and the opposition as Justice Baqar’s name remained “undisputed” on both sides.

“And being the leader of the opposition, we also had to take our ally into confidence before reaching any decision. So the GDA’s input was also taken under consideration and the decision was made with consensus,” she added.

Before the formal announcement from any side, Justice Baqar, who retired from the Supreme Court last year, appeared on a private TV channel to confirm his appointment. “I was first contacted from the treasury side and later the opposition also talked to me on this matter,” he said in response to a question.

A law graduate from the University of Karachi, Mr Baqar, 66, enrolled as an advocate in May 1981. He was elevated as an additional judge of the Sindh High Court in Aug 2002 and his position was confirmed in 2003. He was appointed as the SHC chief justice in Sept 2013, from where he was elevated to Supreme Court in Feb 2015.