Lahore (Shadesofgalaxy Newspaper Latest – International Press Agency. January 11, 2023) The hearing on the petition against the removal of Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi from office is ongoing in the Lahore High Court. In arguments, he said that the governor can ask for a vote of confidence, but the speaker has the authority to fix the date of the meeting and the speaker is already holding the meeting of the Punjab Assembly.
Barrister Ali Zafar argued that even the Chief Minister cannot ask the Speaker to call a meeting for a vote of confidence and the Chief Minister cannot be punished for not calling a meeting of the Speaker. Justice Asim Hafeez remarked that under the Constitution, the Governor and The speaker is neutral, here the governor and the speaker are the spokesmen of the parties. The governor can set the date for the vote of confidence in the already ongoing session. The meeting is in progress. Speaker could have given a different date.
On the inquiry of the court, Speaker Punjab Assembly lawyer Hyder Rasool Mirza said that the speaker had issued a ruling on it. Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh told the speaker that the ruling of the speaker is not before the court. A five-member bench headed by Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh is hearing the petition against removing him from the post of Chief Minister.
During the hearing, Justice Abid Aziz asked Parvez Elahi’s lawyer Ali Zafar that what is the situation now? The matter has not been resolved yet. To which Barrister Ali Zafar, the lawyer of Prime Minister Parvez Elahi, said that all the issues will be resolved in the court of Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman. The lawyer said in arguments that the court has given enough time to Parvezalhi, his point was that adequate time was not given, the court had also opened the way for him to take a vote of confidence.
Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh remarked that the governor can ask the chief minister for a vote of confidence, but in the end, the members have to decide who can continue to be the chief minister. Barrister Ali Zafar should tell how much time is appropriate for the vote of confidence. Maybe we can set a date. Justice Asim Hafeez remarked that you had a full chance to take the vote of confidence in so many days. The Chief Minister should have the support of 186 members 24 hours a day. No party is ready to touch the numbers. He will fill it.
Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan told the court that it is the Governor’s authority to ask the Chief Minister to take a vote of confidence, so now the matter has come out of due time, the hearing of the case will resume after a break at 1:30 p.m.
