Governor refuses to sign summary to dissolve Punjab assembly,
Lahore_As per the constitution, the Punjab Assembly stood dissolved automatically at 10:12 pm on Saturday night.
Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi had sent advice to Governor to dissolve the assembly at 10:00 pm on January 12.
The Punjab assembly was dissolved on Saturday evening after 48 hours lapsed since Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s summary, advising Governor Balighur Rehman to dissolve the house automatically took hold,Apart from the assembly, the provincial cabinet also stood dissolved.
Now, leader of the house in the provincial assembly, Elahi and Leader of the Opposition Hamza Shahbaz would consult each other and will have seven days to agree on a set of names for the interim set up.
Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman on Saturday refused to sign summary to dissolve provincial assembly.
Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman said that the dissolution of Punjab Assembly was an important responsibility and he did not want this to be done in haste.
Speaking to media in Lahore on Saturday, he said he had time till tonight (Saturday) and steps would have to be taken to uphold the constitution. “I would take this decision with a heavy heart.” he added.
Mr Rehman said, “My prayer is that whatever decision is taken, it will be for the good of the country and the nation.”
Earlier,
On Thursday, Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi had signed a summary for dissolution of Punjab Assembly a day after he obtained the vote of confidence from the Punjab Assembly amid ruckus and opposition’s boycott following weeks of political turbulence in the province. The decision to dissolve the assembly had been taken at a meeting between the chief minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan held at Zaman Park, where senior party leaders were also present.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said the Punjab CM had signed the summary asking the governor to dissolve the provincial assembly. The PTI leader said the advice had been sent to the Punjab governor. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly would ill also be dissolved with the Punjab Assembly.
