Lahore:
The Lahore High Court has directed the President to appoint a representative for the swearing in of the newly elected Chief Minister of Punjab. According to media reports, a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court against Hamza Shahbaz for not taking oath in which Advocate General Punjab Ahmed Owais appeared in the court.
Advocate General Punjab told the court that he had a meeting with the Governor of Punjab. I want to put two or three reasons before the court. The Speaker is bound to take oath with the Governor. Governor, no rubber stamp.
The Chief Justice asked the Advocate General if there was any justification for not taking oath by the Governor of Punjab. The President said, “I cannot take oath from the Prime Minister. I am ill.”
On which the Advocate General Punjab said that the Governor of Punjab thinks that the election of the Chief Minister was not done in accordance with the law and the constitution, a woman MPA is in a life and death struggle due to violence.
The Chief Justice remarked that this meant that everything should be stopped. The court said that the President of Pakistan should nominate someone else to take oath and a copy of the judgment should be sent to the President of Pakistan. It may be mentioned that a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court against the non-swearing in ceremony of the newly elected Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz. Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Punjab government were made parties. The petition said that violation of constitutional conventions is tantamount to violation of constitution. Governor Punjab is not taking oath from newly elected Chief Minister of Punjab which is unconstitutional. The House elected the Chief Minister in accordance with the law. The court should issue orders to the Governor of Punjab to take oath from the new Chief Minister of Punjab.
Yesterday, the Lahore High Court had issued notice to Advocate General Punjab on the petition of Hamza Shahbaz against not taking oath. Ishaq appeared in court and said that Azam Nazir Tarar would not represent Hamza Shahbaz as he had become a federal minister.
During the hearing, Hamza Shahbaz’s lawyer argued that when the government resigns, a new chief minister should come immediately, but the largest province is running without a government. However, it is the constitutional responsibility of the Governor to summon the Chief Minister for swearing in. The Chief Justice Lahore High Court had issued notice to Advocate General Punjab in this regard. The court also issued notice of assistance to Advocate General under 27A.
