In an unprecedented development of the post-election scenario, Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmud on Monday resigned as governor of Punjab and announced his intentions to retire from politics.
Addressing a press conference at Governor’s House, he said that he had sent his resignation letter to President Asif Ali Zardari and hoped that it would be accepted soon.
He said that he had been an unelected governor and since a new government was about to take oath, it was only fair that the governor be elected democratically. He added that he was quitting over moral grounds.
He expressed the hope that transition of power would be smooth and constitutional.
The former governor congratulated and paid tribute to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the caretaker government and law enforcement agencies for holding the elections.
He also paid tribute to the people who came out in large numbers and exercised their right to vote. He said that it was a positive thing for the country.
He hoped that the winning party would work according to the aspirations of people and those who faced defeat would accept it in the spirit of sportsmanship and play their role as an effective opposition.
He further said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had concentrated a lot on strengthening the democratic process in the country. Mehmud added that the issue of south Punjab issue was still there but other problems like price hike, load-shedding and law and order had overshadowed it.
Mehmud further hoped that all political forces would forget differences of the past and come together to bring the country forward.
He congratulated Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif for getting public mandate. Moreover, he said that Imran Khan had emerged as big political power and also congratulated him.
Mehmud had been appointed as the governor of Punjab a few months ago in a bid to woo south Punjab voters by the PPP government.