Islamabad: Punjab, Pakistan’s biggest province, is still without a Chief Minister. Despite the election of the joint opposition’s candidate Hamza Shehbaz Sharif to the office of Chief Minister, Governor Omer Sarfaraz Cheema refused to administer the oath, questioning the validity of the electoral process.
Cheema, an Imran Khan loyalist, raised serious objections on the ‘controversial’ election of Hamza Shehbaz.
“I have written to the Punjab Advocate General and the Punjab Assembly’s secretary to present before me the details of what happened inside the provincial assembly on the day of the election,” said the governor while addressing a crowded press conference a day after the election.
“I am also closely examining the Lahore High Court (LHC) directions so that I can make up my mind on holding the oath-taking ceremony at the Governor House or not.”
Federal government removes Governor
Following Cheema’s press conference, the federal government removed him with immediate effect and announced that a summary was moved from the Prime Minister’s office to the President House in that regard.
Cheema claimed the prime minister did not have the authority to remove him and only the president could do so.
President directs Governor to continue
“The prime minister does not have this kind of authority,” said Cheema. Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in a statement on Monday also ‘clarified’ that Cheema was going nowhere, and President Arif Alvi had directed him to continue till a decision was taken on the summary sent by the federal cabinet.
The Punjab Assembly’s Saturday session to elect a new chief minister was marred by chaos and clashes as members attacked the Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammed Mazari and the police that were called in to restore order in the assembly hall.
The clashes were so serious that the PTI and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) joint candidate for chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was injured and provided medical aid.
Dost Mazari went on to conduct the election as per the directions of the Lahore High Court and declared Hamza Shehbaz the winner. he had garnered 197 votes - in order to become Chief Minister of the province at least 186 votes are required in the 371-member house.
Meanwhile, a report filed by the Assembly’s secretary said that opposition lawmakers had attacked the police and Elahi, and therefore the entire electoral process had lost its validity.
He also said the Deputy Speaker had conducted the election process from the Officers’ Box with a megaphone, which was contrary to the Assembly Rules and Procedures
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