Sindh CM’s advisers, special assistants resign following court order

A number of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s advisers and special assistants resigned following a court order on Thursday.

Shah sought and accepted the resignations of the advisers, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Maula Bux Chandio and Saeed Ghani after Sindh High Court (SHC) de-notified them, according to Express News.

The court ruling was given over a constitutional petition, which said the powers of a minister should only be handed over to the elected representatives. The court in its verdict said the advisers could not exercise powers that of a minister or draw salaries as such.

The special assistants resigning from their positions included late PPP leader Fozia Wahab’s son Murtaza Wahab, Dr Qayyum Soomro, Nadir Khawaja, Babar Afandi, Umar Rehman Malik, Qasim Naveed Qamar, Burhan Chandio, Naveed Anthony.

Meanwhile, talking to media, Chandio said he respected the judiciary but questioned why Sindh couldn’t not have advisers if Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa continued to do so.

In November last year, special assistants to CM removed government flags from their vehicles following SHC’s decision that advisers and assistants could not hold portfolios or attend cabinet meetings. The orders were passed by the court following its nullification of the appointment of law adviser Murtaza Wahab.

Source: The Express Tribune