PTI, PML-Q leaders reject Governor’s action to de-notify CM,

Elahi to move court against Governor Punjab’s action

LAHORE_The constitutional crisis has deepened further in Punjab as Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman de-notified Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on late Thursday night.

It has been said in the notification that it is believed that the Chief Minister does not have the confidence of the majority of the members of the assembly.

The notification further stated that the Punjab cabinet has been dissolved.

According to the notification, Pervaiz Elahi will continue to hold office until the election of the new leader of the House.

The notification read: “Consequent to the facts that Ch. Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Minister Punjab refrained from obtaining vote of confidence at 1600 hrs yesterday, in line with an Order under Article 130(7) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan issued under my hand on 19t 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.”

Meanwhile,

(PTI),(PML-Q) leaders held a consultative meeting in the wee hours of Friday to review legal options regarding Governor Punjab action to de-notify Chief Minister, Dunya News reported.

The meeting was held at Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi s residence and was attended by Pervaiz Elahi, Moonis Elahi, Speaker Punjab Assembly Sibtain Khan, Basharat Raja and Advocate General Punjab.

Leaders of both parties rejected Governor Punjab s move to de-notify CM and termed it unconstitutional.

Pervaiz Elahi said that we do not accept Governor Punjab Baligh-ur-Rehman notification as it is unconstitutional and added that we will go to court against the initiative taken by the Governor.

Pervaiz Elahi categorically said that I am still the Chief Minister and the Punjab Cabinet will continue to function as Governor s notification has no legal status.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has decided to approach court against Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman s action to de-notify him from the office of Punjab Chief Minister on late Thursday night.

Pervaiz Elahi said that we do not accept Governor Punjab Baligh-ur-Rehman notification as it is unconstitutional and added that we will go to court against the initiative taken by the Governor.

Pervaiz Elahi categorically said that I am still the Chief Minister and the Punjab Cabinet will continue to function as Governor s notification has no legal status.

According to sources, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has also contacted his legal team and has started consultation to go to court against the action taken by Governor Punjab which he termed as unconstitutional.

It is pertinent to mention here that Governor Punjab Baligh-ur-Rehman on Thursday night de-notified Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi upon latter s failure to obtain vote of confidence at the appointed day and time of 21 December 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on late Thursday night said that and the action to remove him from office has been initiated.

Reacting to the Baligh-ur-Rehman’s tweet, Fawad Chaudhry said that the Punjab Governor s notification to de-notify the Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has no legal status.

He said that Pervaiz Elahi and the provincial cabinet will continue to perform their duties.

The PTI leader went on to say that a reference will be sent to the president against the Governor and the action to remove him from office has been initiated.

Fawad Chaudhry in another tweet said that if this principle is accepted that the Governor can send the Chief Minister home at his will, then the President can also send the Prime Minister home. He said that the attempt to revive Article 58(2)B will fail.