Governor asks Punjab CM Parvez Elahi to take trust vote tomorrow

LAHORE: The Punjab governor has asked the chief minister to take a vote of confidence from the House while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) submitted a motion of vote of no-confidence against Pervaiz Elahi here on Monday night, blocking the way to possible dissolution of the Punjab Assembly.

The PMLN was already working on both the options to counter the PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s announcement of dissolving the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. If CM Elahi fails to secure the vote of confidence, he would lose the power to dissolve the assembly.

The governor’s initiative requires the CM to prove his majority in the House, while in case of vote on the no-confidence resolution, it’s for the opposition show its majority. Party sources said on Monday Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met PMLQ President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Monday in a last ditch effort to convince Pervaiz Elahi to switch sides but that didn’t work.

In the counter move, the Punjab governor summoned the session of the Punjab Assembly under article 130(7) of the Constitution of the Pakistan. The notification issued by the Governor’s Secretariat stated that “The Governor Punjab is pleased to sign Order (placed at Flag A) summoning the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab at 1600 hours on Wednesday, 21 December, 2022 (tomorrow) and requiring the Chief Minister of the Punjab to obtain a vote of confidence in terms of Article 130(7) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”

The detailed order stated that “WHEREAS it is a matter of public knowledge, reported widely in the print and electronic media, that Ch Pervaiz Elahi, the Chief Minister of Punjab, has lost the confidence of his party President Ch Shujaat Hussain, and the members of his own party belonging to the Punjab Assembly.” It further said that “AND WHEREAS it is widely known that over the last few weeks serious differences of opinion have erupted between the two coalition parties of the ruling alliance in the Punjab Assembly, i.e. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) regarding political strategies, dissolution of assembly, development schemes and transfers of public officials.”

“AND WHEREAS the differences between the two parties of the ruling alliance in the Punjab Assembly became evident after the Chief Minister appointed a member of the Assembly, namely Mr. Khayal Ahmad, to provincial cabinet, The Chairman of the PTI, Mr. Imran Khan publicly announced that he had no knowledge of the minister’s appointment and Chief Minister’s actions, despite the fact that Mr. Khayal Ahmad belonged to the PTI, AND WHEREAS the most recent manifestation of cracks within the ruling alliance in the Punjab Assembly has been the resignation of one of the members of the Cabinet, namely Sardar Hasnain Bahadar Dreshak, after a bitter verbal spat between him and the Chief Minister, during the Cabinet meeting on 16 December 2022,” the detailed order of the Governor said, adding, “AND WHEREAS it is matter of public knowledge that the Chief Minister has stated in a TV programme on 4 December 2022 that he is not going to dissolve the provincial assembly until March 2023, a position which is completely at odds with the PTI’s public position on the issue, and which has led to resignation of two MPAs belonging to PTI in protest against the Chief Minister’s statement.”

The detailed order of the Governor further added that “AND WHEREAS the Chief Minister Punjab, in a television programme, aired on 18 December 2022, openly and vehemently criticised Imran Khan, Chairman PTI for the latter’s comments regarding former Chief of Army Staff made in a public rally on 17 December 2022.”

“Keeping in view the above facts manifesting serious cracks and evident faults within the ruling coalition in Punjab Assembly, which already carried only a very narrow numerical margin, I, Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman, Governor of the Punjab, am satisfied that Ch. Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Minister of the Punjab does not command confidence of the majority of the members of the Provincial Assembly. Therefore, in terms of Article 130(7) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I summon a session of the Punjab Assembly to meet at 1600 hours on Wednesday, 210 December, 2022 in the Chamber and require the Chief Minister to obtain a vote of confidence on the aforesaid date and time,” the Governor Punjab said in his detailed order.

On the other hand, the PMLN MPAs submitted a vote of no-confidence against Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi on Monday night. The motion of no-confidence against the chief minister was printed on the official letterhead of the Leader of the Opposition and was addressed to the Speaker Punjab Assembly.

“Notice under article 136 of the Constitution read with rule 23 of the Rules of Procedure, PAP 1997 for a No-Confidence Resolution against Chief Minister Punjab,” was the subject of the letter.

It stated that “We the members of PMLN and PPP, hereby give notice under article 136 of the constitution read with rule 23 of the Rules of Procedure, PAP 1997 for a No-Confidence Resolution against Chief Minister Punjab.” They, in the motion, further said that Ch Pervaiz Elahi has lost the confidence of majority of the house and the province was not being run under the constitution while Ch Pervaiz Elahi has also tarnished the democratic norms. They said that this was why the house showed its no-confidence on the Chief Minister Punjab Ch Pervaiz Elahi.

The motion for vote of no-confidence was signed by the MPAs of PMLN and PPP including Hassan Murtaza, Azma Bukhari, Samiullah Khan, Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, Pir Ashraf Rassol, Bilal Farooq, Ejaz Ahmed, khwaja Salman, Saba Sadiq, Raja Saghir, Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Mian Mujtaba, Col (R) Ayub, Rana Arif Iqbal, Auneza Fatima, Zakiya Shahnawaz, Khwaja Imran Nazir, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Allouddin, Mian Abdul Rauf, Zeeshan Raffique, Ramzan Bhatti and others.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting of PMLN leaders in which this was decided that both the options will be used simultaneously.

Party sources said Monday’s meeting was presided over by Shehbaz and was attended by Saad Rafiq, Ayaz Sadiq, Salman Rafiq, Malik Ahmad Khan, Attaullah Tarar and others.

In the meeting, the political situation of Punjab was consulted and the party strategy related to the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly on December 23, 2022 was also discussed while the future strategy was also considered.

Party sources said the options of imposing financial emergency and Governor Rule were also discussed in the meeting of PMLN and all the participants agreed that in case the Punjab chief minister survived both the moves of taking vote of confidence and no confidence then the federal government may exercise this option.

PMLN leadership has directed all its MPAs to stay in Lahore till next week. Sources said Shehbaz also met Shujaat at his house and there were rumors that Pervaiz Elahi also attended the meeting secretly but this was not confirmed.

The coming 48 hours are being dubbed the most important in the political landscape of the largest province of Punjab. Consultation within the coalition partners in the federal government continued during the day to stop possible dissolution of the Punjab Assembly.

Adviser on Tourism Aun Chaudhry also met the prime minister and conveyed Jehangir Tareen’s message to him.

A day earlier, PM Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Both bigwigs pledged to strengthen mutual cooperation and collaboration to take the country out of economic and political turmoil.

The meeting came after former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan announced to dissolve Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies on December 23.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMLQ) MNA Chaudhry Salik Hussain, meanwhile, conveyed an important message of his father, party’s president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

According to details, the PMLQ MNA called on former president Zardari at the latter’s residence – Bilawal House, Lahore.

Sources told local media that the meeting lasted for about 45 minutes. Sources added that the former president lauded the political wisdom and acumen of Chaudhry Shujaat. Salik Hussain left Bilawal House Lahore after receiving answers from the PPP co-Chairman.

Later, Asif Zardari also met Chaudhry Shujaat and discussed political situation in Punjab. The meeting was also attended by Federal Ministers Tariq Bashir Cheema and Chaudhry Salik.

Chaudhry Shujaat , meanwhile, confirmed that he is in contact with Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari but not with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). A day earlier, the PMLQ stalwart has been tasked with averting the Punjab Assembly from dissolution at the hands of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), well-placed sources revealed.

Confirming his meetings with both leaders, Shujaat said that the meetings remained positive. “Political contacts and meetings will continue during the next three to four days,” the PMLQ leader said, adding that they would jointly devise their strategy to counter the PTI’s plan.

Unfolding the ruling alliance’s strategy to prevent the Punjab Assembly from being dissolved, the PMLQ stalwart said that the PPP and the PMLN are mulling two options — no trust motion and asking CM Pervaiz Elahi to take the vote of confidence. “The parties might have more options but they share the two options with me,” he added.

“Those who do not have sufficient numbers to make a no-confidence motion successful, should try to complete numbers,” he suggested the politician. The Punjab chief minister can stay in his post if he “makes” a decision, the PMLQ stalwart added.

Commenting on the prevailing tense political environment in the country, the senior leader said, “Some people are bent upon dissolving the assemblies and the others blocking the move.”

“I do not see general elections in the country in near future,” he added. Chaudhry Shujaat further said that Imran Khan is a wise man, adding that he does not need advice. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, meanwhile, met President Arif Alvi and discussed political and economic situation of the country.

President Alvi is playing an important role in the negotiations and exchange of messages among the leadership of the three major parties of the country’s politics. During the meeting, Dar apprised the president on Centre’s stance against dissolution of the assemblies. The president stressed resolving issues amicably through talks.