LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to challenge the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict directing the National Assembly Speaker to administer oath to Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz.
A spokesperson for the party said the verdict would be challenged through an intra-court appeal. He said the president or the governor can nominate a person for administering oath and not the high court.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi also announced to challenge the verdict. Speaking to a private channel, Elahi said that there was no election in the Assembly and they went to the courts to seek justice. The President and the Governor of Punjab are also working under the Constitution, he said.
He asked on what forum will the Speaker National Assembly take oath. “Such oaths do not take place on the streets and the forum for elections was the Assembly. The oath has to be taken at the Governor House,” he said.
“If the courts open in the morning then our lawyers will go and appear before the court. It is not possible to take an oath while sitting at home. The decision will be challenged tomorrow,” he added.
Pervez Elahi said the notification states that Usman Buzdar will continue to work till a new oath is taken. He added that the decision of 26 deviant members has not been taken yet after which they will not have a majority.
He alleged that PM Shehbaz Sharif directly ordered the attack on the Assembly and tried to arrest the Secretary Assembly. He further said it is not possible to make a unilateral decision and the President and Governor Punjab will take action.
“I have faith in God Almighty, God’s court is open all the time and maybe our lawyers will file a petition tonight. This is not right to arrest assembly staff. Now we will fight against them in courts,” he added.
LHC verdict
The political crisis in Punjab may end as the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to administer oath to Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shahbaz.
The order comes after the CM-elect had sought the high court’s intervention in his oath-taking ceremony for the third time as the government had delayed his oath-taking ceremony on several grounds.
In the order issued today evening, Justice Jawad Hassan of the LHC directed NA Speaker to administer the oath to Hamza by tomorrow at 11:30AM.
Hamza filed the petition against the Federation of Pakistan and Province of Punjab was been filed under Article 199 and all other enabling provisions of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Law.
In his petition, Hamza said: “The high court had issued orders regarding the administration of the oath; however, the court’s order has not been implemented.”
He mentioned that Punjab Governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema once again refused to comply with the court order, urging the court to appoint a representative who can administer the oath to him. In his petition, Hamza requested the court to fix a date and time for the oath-taking ceremony along with a representative.
