Oath-taking ceremony of CM-elect Hamza Shehbaz postponed by Punjab governor

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema has “postponed” the oath-taking ceremony of Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz as he ruled his elections controversial due to the ruckus that took place in the assembly a day earlier.

Cheema, in a press conference Sunday, condemned the violence that took place in the Punjab Assembly one day prior and said that such incidents set a very wrong precedent.

“I am a political worker and have fought elections. This a very wrong precedent being set,” said the governor.

It should be noted that during yesterday's session, 197 MPAs had cast their votes to elect Hamza Shehbaz as the chief minister.

The Punjab governor accused the CM elect of using “state power” on the polling day against his rival the PTI and PML-Q.

“I believe if Hamza Shehbaz had enough votes, then he should not have made the election controversial like this,” said Cheema.

The governor also questioned whether the elections for the Punjab chief minister were conducted as per the directives of the Lahore High Court and said that he had summoned a report from the secretary of the Punjab Assembly related to the ruckus and violence that took place during the session yesterday.

Cheema added that Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari acted in a "partisan way".

The governor said that his office will write letters to the advocate-general of Punjab as well as the speaker related to the polls.

“Sitting in a constitutional office, I cannot endorse an unconstitutional act. I will start these [oath-taking proceedings] once I am satisfied that these elections were conducted according to the Constitution and LHC’s order,” said the governor.

'PM has no right to remove me'

While the governor was holding the press conference, reports started circulating that he has been removed from office by the federal government.

Sources had told Geo News that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had sent a summary to President Arif Alvi for the removal of Governor Cheema. The summary was moved under the discretionary powers given to the premier.

The news was also confirmed by PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb.

When Governor Cheema was asked to confirm the story, he said that PM Shehbaz Sharif has "no right to remove him from office."

“PM has no right to remove me, he sends a summary to the president. I am holding this office with the pleasure of the president and until the president does not notify this, I will continue to hold this office,” said Governor Cheema.