PTI-led govt distances itself from Balochistan governor 'nominee' Dr Ameer Jogezai
The Prime Minister Office in a statement issued on Sunday clarified that Dr Ameer Muhammad Khan Jogezai has not been appointed as the next governor of Balochistan and that his name for the post was merely "a recommendation".
There is no truth in the news reports about the appointment of new Balochistan governor, read the statement, adding that Jogezai's name was "a recommendation and not a final decision".
A day earlier, hours after his nomination by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government as the next governor of Balochistan, Dr Jogezai had declined to accept the gubernatorial office after media highlighted reports about his alleged involvement in a 2015 corruption inquiry by the National Accountability Bureau.
“There is no [truth in] reference or inquiry or an FIR against me in NAB,” he had insisted, adding that he had decided to not accept the offer for the sake of his as well as Prime Minister Imran Khan’s honour.
However, in a phone-in interview with Geo News, Dr Jogezai said that he was going ahead to "accept the PTI's governor offer".
A government spokesperson, in the statement on Sunday, said that based on "certain evidences" that have emerged relating to Dr Jogezai, there has been no progress on his "recommendation". He, however, did not elaborate as to what "evidence" had stalled Dr Jogezai's prospects.
In January 2015, the executive board of NAB had ordered an inquiry against him, Mumtaz Ali Khan, former secretary of the Workers Welfare Board, Balochistan, and others for their alleged involvement in embezzlement in the procurement of medical equipment and misappropriation of funds released for the Kidney Centre that caused a loss of Rs61 million to the exchequer.
A paediatrician by profession, Dr Jogezai remained the chief executive of Kidney Centre, Quetta, from January 2006 till July 31, 2015.
Following the formation of its government at the Centre, the PTI had announced that it would replace all the four governors.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also chairman of the PTI, has nominated Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar as governor of Punjab, and Imran Ismail and Shah Farman as governors of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, respectively.