Governor removes Parvez Elahi as Punjab CM

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman on Thursday night de-notified Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the Chief Minister Punjab and dissolved the provincial cabinet here.

The development came days after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan announced the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies on December 23.

The governor had earlier asked the chief minister to take a vote of confidence on Wednesday at 4pm, which he did not.

The governor’s notification reads: “Consequent to the facts that Ch. Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Minister Punjab refrained from obtaining vote of confidence at 1600 hrs yesterday [Wednesday], in line with an Order under Article 130(7) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, issued under my hand on 19th. December 2022, in line with Rule 22(7) of the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, 1997, and that he still has not done so even after the lapse of another twenty four hours, I am satisfied that he does not command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Punjab Assembly, and therefore ceases to hold his office with immediate effect.”

The governor further said: “In consequence of above, the Provincial Cabinet stands dissolved forthwith.” The governor, however, said that in terms of Article 133 of the Constitution, Pervaiz Elahi will continue to hold office until his successor enters upon the office of the chief minister.

“Further necessary action may be taken immediately. Given at Lahore, this twenty second day of December 2022, 1600 hrs,” the notification concluded. The governor also tweeted the notification. The Punjab chief secretary, complying with the order of governor, later issued a notification that Pervaiz Elahi was no more the chief minister of the province.

The notification (No .SO(CAB-II)2-12/2018 (Vol-II) issued by the Punjab, Services & General Administration Department stated: “In pursuance of the order of the Governor of the Punjab dated 22/12/2022 vide No. PSG-1-1/2022-57, Mr. Pervaiz Elahi has ceased to hold office of the Chief Minister Punjab with immediate effect. In consequence of the above, the Provincial Cabinet stands dissolved forthwith.

“Furthermore, in terms of Article 133 of the Constitution, Governor of the Punjab has been pleased to ask Mr. Pervaiz Elahi, former Chief Minister of the Punjab, to continue to hold office until his successor enters upon the office of the Chief Minister.”

A copy of the notification was also forwarded to the secretary to the president, secretary to the prime minister, Cabinet Division secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan secretary in Islamabad, the chief secretaries, governments of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir and other officials concerned.

Before the governor’s order, Prime Minister Shehbaz is learnt to have contacted PMLQ President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Baligh Ur Rehman to discuss the situation arising after Pervaiz Elahi opted not to take the vote of confidence from the provincial assembly. Sources claimed that it was resolved during these contacts that legal and constitutional options would be used to tackle the situation. There was a unanimous view that constitutional provisions are clear and nobody can stop the session called by the governor.

Chaudhry Shujaat, meanwhile, called on Asif Zardari at the Bilawal House in Lahore. Both sons of Chaudhry Shujaat, MNA Ch Saalik Hussein and Shafay Hussein, were also present on the occasion.

Both the senior leaders discussed the current political situation of the country and the power tussle in Punjab.

Moreover, parliamentary leader of PPP Punjab Syed Hasan Murtaza called on Governor Rehman at the Governor’s House and discussed various issues, including the current political situation of Punjab. The central leader of PPP Akhunzada Chattan was also present in the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, the governor said that no compromise will be made on the supremacy of law and the Constitution.

Meanwhile, PML MNA and senior leader Tariq Bashir Cheema has issued a show cause notice to Kamil Ali Agha and directed him not to issue any statement on behalf of party.

Earlier, addressing a presser in Lahore, Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan said that the provincial assembly cannot be dissolved on Friday (today).

“The Punjab Assembly cannot be dissolved tomorrow [Friday]. The no-confidence motion has been presented and its notices will be issued. The matter will move towards the first week of January,” the speaker said.

Commenting on Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman’s letter addressing the Speaker a day earlier, Sibtain Khan added that it is not a governor’s problem to give or not give a ministry to someone. He added that the governor cannot summon a new session while one is already in progress in the assembly.

After the Speaker defied his directives — summoning a session on Wednesday at 4pm for a vote of confidence pertaining to CM Elahi, the Punjab governor declared the speaker’s ruling “unconstitutional and illegal” following which the speaker received a letter from the governor on the same night.

Further sharing his take on the letter and CM Elahi’s mention in it, the Punjab Assembly Speaker said: “The governor has written about the vote of confidence and no-confidence in his letter. However, his accusations on Elahi are not related to the governor.”

Sabtain Khan, when addressing the content of the governor’s letter, talked about abiding by the oath he has taken. He added that it is not his job to save the chief minister and the government will deal with it.

“I am the custodian of this House. Everyone should do their job while remaining within their constitutional territories,” he said, urging the governor to avoid passing “illegal orders”.

Talking about writing a letter to President Dr Arif Alvi, Khan said: “I have stalled the matter of writing a letter to the president. It will be sent when the time comes. The no-confidence has arrived, but its process will take time.”

With regard to the vote of no-confidence against himself, the provincial assembly speaker said that he cannot legally chair the motion.

“We want the assembly to be dissolved. We want to go to the people but the governor doesn’t want that, which is why he is creating obstacles,” he said, asserting the PTI will remove the obstacles and go to the public.

While terming the session summoned by the governor at a time while assembly sitting was underway, the Punjab Assembly Speaker made it clear that chief minister cannot be de notified.

Sabtain Khan said that the objection that the chief minister could not take vote of confidence due to him (Speaker) was false. Under Article 209-A of Punjab Assembly Rules of Procedure, the session summoned by the governor was unconstitutional and had no legal worth. He also said the CM could not be de notified under the Constitution.

He said that the Speaker had the right to give ruling over every matter pertaining to the assembly. The Speaker also represents a constitutional body just like the governor, he added.

Sibtain Khan further said that the points raised by the governor in his letter were more political than constitutional.

To another question, he said Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had no link with Punjab Assembly.

Separately, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said that the PTI has decided to postpone the dissolution of the provincial assembly until the fate of the Punjab Assembly is decided.

In a media talk outside the Hayatabad Sports Complex in Peshawar on Thursday, Mahmood said: “Imran Khan will first decide the future of the Punjab Assembly.”

“Right now, consultation on the matter of the Punjab Assembly is under way. The decision regarding the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will be taken after these discussions.”

The chief minister added that he was in contact with his party’s senior leadership. “Up until now, Imran has not given me any directions on the dissolution. I will contact Imran today but first a decision regarding the Punjab Assembly will be taken.”