Islamabad: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the Advocate General of Punjab to appear before the court on April 11 and explain the delay in calling the Punjab Assembly session for election of the new Chief Minister.
The court has also issued notices to the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Secretary of the Punjab, provincial police chief and Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly in a petition filed by the joint opposition’s candidate for the top office of the Chief Minister, Muhammad Hamza Shahbaz Sharif who has alleged through his counsel that the provincial lawmakers were barred from entering the assembly building.
His counsel Azam Nazeer Tarar on Friday informed the court that the provincial assembly’s session for voting to elect the province’s new chief minister was first scheduled to be held on April 6, but only a day prior to voting, it was abruptly adjourned till April 16.
However, since Punjab’s Advocate General on the same date ie April 5 had submitted before the Chief Justice that the session would be held as per the previous date ie April 6, Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari reviewed the earlier date and called the session on April 6.
He alleged that the assembly staff on knowing the Deputy Speaker had changed his mind sealed the building with barbed wires preventing the entry of the members.
The judge at this point asked Hamza Shahbaz’s counsel when the date for voting had been announced, why they moved a petition in the court.
To this, the lawyer replied that the province was without a chief executive for days while as per the constitution the seat cannot remain vacant even for a single day. At this, the LHC chief justice summoned the Punjab advocate general and admitted the petition.
When the hearing resumed after a short break, the judge was informed that the Punjab advocate general was in Islamabad and would not be able to appear in court. Consequently, Justice Bhatti decided to issue notices to all respondents for Monday (April 11).
However, the PML-N lawyer requested that Monday would be too late and suggested it should be fixed for Saturday (April 9). “The Supreme Court even heard the case on a Sunday,” he said, referring to the court’s suo motu notice of National Assembly proceedings.
Justice Bhatti replied that the apex court had taken a suo motu notice. “The hearing will take place as per the Constitution and the law. You have filed the case today. We will only be able to proceed once the record is available,” the judge said, adding that the court had to work according to the rules of the Constitution.
The court issued notices to Pervaiz Elahi, Dost Mazari, the Punjab chief secretary, and the provincial police chief. The judge also sought a record of the Punjab chief minister’s election from the provincial secretary and adjourned the hearing till April 11.
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