Daily Times

ISLAMABAD – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan Abbasi on Thursday night handed over his resignation to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as he wanted to contest Senate elections to be held in 2018, source said.

The prime minister however asked Abbassi to continue discharge his current service as the governor for the time being. The sources close to the governor further said that Abbasi had sent a message to the PM Nawaz for his intention to resign from his office two weeks ago, through Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Minister for Interior Affairs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, as he intended to contest 2018 Senate election.

It is necessary for him to resign from the office of the governorship in February 2016, making him eligible to contest Senate election after completion of two years mandatory term.

The governor held a meeting on Thursday with the prime minister accompanying Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and conveyed him the reasons behind the resignation. He said he would contest Senate elections to be held in 2018 and would strive to strengthen the party in Pakhtunkhwa.

Sources went on to say that the prime minister asked Abbasi to continue his office till February 8. Sources further said that another round of a meeting between the PM and Abbasi will be held on February 8, during which final decision will be made about the fate of the resignation.

Sources said that during the meeting, names will come under discussion regarding name of a suitable person for the office of the Pakhtunkhwa governor.