Governor of Pakistan’s Punjab province on Friday (December 23) de-notified Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi with “immediate effect”, plunging the region into a constitutional crisis. Governor Baligur Rehman took the step as he said the chief minister did not comply with his order of obtaining a vote of confidence. Later, however, the Lahore high court set aside the Punjab governor’s order and reinstated Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as the chief minister and his cabinet ‘conditionally’ after he gave an undertaking that he would not dissolve the provincial assembly on the “wish” of ousted prime minister Imran Khan.
The governor belongs to Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) while the chief minister is from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party. The governor took the step of denotifying the chief minister in order to keep him from dissolving the assembly.
Former Pakistan prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan had announced that provincial assemblies of Punjab and Kyber Pakhtunkhwa will be dissolved to force snap elections. PTI is in power in both these assemblies.
In the early hours of Friday, the governor issued an order denotifying chief minister Elahi and his Cabinet. Prior to that, large number of supporters of Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan “besieged” the governor’s house.
“Since chief minister, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has refrained from taking a vote of confidence at the appointed day and time (last Wednesday) therefore he ceases to hold office with immediate effect. He however can continue working as chief minister of Punjab till his successor is appointed,” the governor said.
Elahi who belongs to the PTI junior coalition partner Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PMLQ) moved the court against the governor’s ‘illegal order’.
PTI senior leader and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the governor will have to pay for his “misconduct”.
“The governor’s order denotifying the chief minister and his Cabinet has no legal value. Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and his cabinet will continue to function and a reference against him is being sent to the president for his removal from office,” Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.
The PMLN and its allied parties had vowed to use all options to stop Khan from dissolving the two assemblies. They say the country can’t afford early polls because of its poor economy.
Legal experts say the ongoing constitutional battle between the federal and Punjab governments will eventually be settled by courts as questions of law have arisen after Governor Balighur Rehman asked Chief Minister Elahi to seek a ‘vote of confidence’ in a special assembly session within 48 hours and subsequently denotified him for his failure to comply with his order.
(With inputs from agencies)
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