 ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari appointed close aide Latif Khosa to succeed the murdered governor of the Punjab province Salman Taseer on recommendation by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Earlier, President Zardari held consultations with senior leaders of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in connection with the appointment of Punjab governor at Bilawal House in Karachi. The announcement was made public after an elaborate meeting between Latif Khosa and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, which was held on January 9.
Later on the same date, the PM Gilani sent to President Zardari the summary with recommendation for appointing Latif Khosa as new Punjab governor. According to President House’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar, Presdient Zardari today signed the summary.
Analysts say Khosa will try to avoid antagonising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to tamp down disputes that have paralysed the federal government. Though soft-spoken and non-confontational, he is an ardent supporter of the PPP.
Khosa is the successor of Salman Taseer, the outspoken governor of the central province of Punjab, who was gunned down by one of his bodyguards in Islamabad on Tuesday for supporting changes in the country’s blasphemy law.
Khosa said earlier on Saturday that Zardari had called him along with Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar and Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh for a meeting in Karachi.
“I will accept whatever the decision of my leadership,” he said.
Taseer was fiery and often clashed publicly with Nawaz and his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shabaz Sharif. Khosa, on the other hand, is soft-spoken and non-confrontational. But he is an ardent supporter of the PPP.
Khosa’s appointment comes just one day before an ultimatum given by Nawaz Sharif to Zardari’s government on Tuesday to accept a list of his demands or face expulsion of PPP members from the Punjab provincial government.
Latif Khosa is a Pakistani senator and advocate, and the previous Attorney General of Pakistan. He was appointed the Attorney General on 19 August, 2008. He co-authored an electoral fraud report with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto shortly before her assassination in December 2007. Khosa was one of Bhutto's top aides.
Senator Khosa appeared before the acting Chief Justice Javaid Iqbal in a hearing over the handling of the Iftikhar Chaudry sacking issue. Khosa claimed to be working to have the ex-Chief Justice reinstated.
Latif Khosa has been recently removed form the office of Attorney General of Pakistan on October 10th 2009 due to allegations and on 10 February 2010 as Advisor of Information Technology of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
On 20 July 2010, advisor to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Information Technology Sardar Latif Khosa sent his resignation to the President after developing disagreements with the Premier. |
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