The resignation of Lt Gen (R) Ali Jan Aurakzai as the Governor of NWFP and his replacement with the Governor of Balochistan, Owais Ahmed Ghani, a 56-year-old Kakar Pukhtoon from the NWFP, is a watershed change in the ongoing politics of the two provinces, particularly the NWFP.  The change, unexpected before elections under a caretaker setup, is also the result of growing uncertainty and deteriorating law and order situation with the writ of government being weakened day by day.  
       
        History repeats itself.  Ghani replaces Ali Jan Orakzai as he did Lt-Gen (R) Abdul Qadir in April 2003.  Owais Ghani was brought out of the province and appointed the Governor of Balochistan under a similar situation, rather better when Lt-Gen (R) Abdul Qadir, an indigenous of Balochistan having developed differences with the uniformed President, was asked to resign from the office.  He did not return to Quetta and flew to Karachi instead. Abdul Qadir belonged to a local Baloch tribe of Kharan district, a backward district of Balochistan.  The major issue leading to his resignation was his interaction with Nawab Bugti and reservation about military action in the province. He wanted political dialogue with all rival groups and involvement of provincial assembly before military action in Dera Bugti and Marri area. It was after his resignation that the military action started in many areas of Balochistan.
      Owais Ghani is a trusted lieutenant of President Musharraf, whose appointment was the ultimate result of the goodwill of federal government and the representation of their interests in the province. His name might have come as a surprise to many, but the method of the appointment of the governor in Balochistan was not new anyhow. The record shows that appointment of a person from outside the province as a governor was deemed essential for the central government like the appointment of General (Retd) Imran as the Governor of Balochistan in 1991.
      Owais Ahmed is neither a seasoned politician nor a tribal bigwig.  He comes from the respectable Nishtar (Kakar) family of Peshawar valley. His family having migrated from a village near Qandahar long before Durand Line was settled in Zhob district and finally moved to Peshawar.  His father being the younger brother of Abdur Rab Nishtar was a ranker in police department and retired as Senior SP.  Owais Ghani made his debut on national level after the 1999 take over by the army under President Musharraf.  He like many others whom army picked and installed at important positions was appointed as the Federal Minister for Labour and later he served as the Provincial Minister for Industries in NWFP. By profession, he is a mechanical engineer, graduating from Peshawar Engineering College.  
 The present office of governor and its privileges originated in 1935 India Act and incorporated in 1950 Indian and 1956, 1963 and 1977 Constitutions of Pakistan. The office of governor in India, a leading democracy where all-important offices are directly or indirectly elected, reflects on its democratic entity, but the office has continued. A governor is considered an agent of federal government and continues in office as long as he enjoys the confidence of the head of the republic. In Pakistan under a representative setup, a governor represents federal government in a province and is less powerful and independent in exercise of his duties than in post-coup setup where elected machinery being dismissed makes him a de facto powerful head of the province.  The role of the Governor in NWFP is more conspicuous and powerful due to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) where a governor exercising his role as the administrative head of FATA enjoys extra financial, judicial and administrative powers.
 The replacement in NWFP is largely due to the growing crisis of penetration after Taliban emerged in FATA agencies and deteriorating law and order situation with heavy involvement of army in action.  Ali Jan Orakzai had served as the corps commander of NWFP and was retired premature to be replaced by Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain in January 2005. It was after his replacement that military action started in South Waziristan and things became turbulent, although he personally met Abdullah Mahsood and tried to negotiate. In May 2006, he was appointed governor by replacing Senator Khalilur Rehman, a retired high-ranking naval officer, to settle the situation in Waziristan.  Ali Jan, an indigenous of FATA, was critical of army involvement and curtailment of Political Agents’ role in agencies by unnecessary interferences of intelligence agencies. He had made it clear to the federal government that by doing so the law and order situation and tribal values would be undermined.  And it is true.  The traditional administrative role of political agents with Jirga comprising tribal elders accountable for conflict management is least effective. Orakzai, at present, was having bitter differences with President Musharraf.
 Owais Ghani’s appointment as the Governor of NWFP is largely due to his closeness with President Musharraf and his comparatively better role in Balochistan.  He enjoys the support of GHQ.  He is cool-minded, attentive and soft spoken.  His strength lies in his humbleness.  He took extra interest in the promotion of socio-economic and education sectors of the province. NWFP, unlike Balochistan, may not be an easy nut to crack for him; nevertheless, his leadership qualities can be tested in conflict management situation. His appointment as the son of the soil and non-political civilian governor can make him acceptable to contending parties to a limited extent. He can exercise his role to a lesser extent compared to his stint in Balochistan where more mediation was needed from him than dialogue making. The situation in NWFP is far worse than it is in Balochistan with huge deployment of US troops across border and imminence of frequent interference inside tribal areas in future.       
 His replacement in Balochistan is expected in a few days with acting chief justice being sworn as acting governor, a practice ex-Chief Justice of Balochistan, Amerul Mulk, disapproved while in office.  Following the October military coup 1999, Amerul Mulk, then retired, was appointed the governor of Balochistan.  He played his role as a strong governor with non-existent assemblies.
 Who will be the new governor of Balochistan is still a question tag, but probably he will be a Pukhtoon, local and tribal influential under the present scenario. He, as expected, will probably be a non-military person.  And there is no retired army officer above the rank of brigadier from the province. In Balochistan since 1970 it was raised to a province status under a representative setup, the office of chief minister is occupied by a Baloch tribal bigwig (always Sardar), therefore, the governor is usually a Pukhtoon. It is designed to keep the balance between two leading ethnic groups: Pathan and Baloch. Pukhtoon constitute the second largest ethnic group in Balochistan after Baloch. Since the 1978 Saur Revolution and aftermath of massive Afghan immigration the number of Pushto speaking people has grown dramatically at the cost of financial and social problems for Pushtoon areas. The two governors under representative setup (when assemblies were in existence) outside the province were Pushtoon: Gen (Retd) Imran Khan and Owais Ghani.