Pakistan: Hamza wants LHC’s intervention in Punjab CM election

Islamabad, April 8 : Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and the opposition’s nominee for the post of the Punjab chief minister, Hamza Shahbaz on Friday submitted a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking the court’s intervention in the election for the CM, Express Tribune reported. But the registrar of the LHC raised objections over the petition, stating that assembly proceedings could not be challenged before courts. However, PML-N counsel Azam Nazir Tarar asked for the petition to still be fixed for hearing, saying they will give arguments on the objection as well. Hamza has urged in his petition that the court direct concerned authorities to convene a session of the Punjab Assembly after fulfillment of due requirements and hold voting for the chief minister’s post without any delay, stating that despite the post of the chief minister having fallen vacant since April 1 elections were being delayed to elect a new chief executive. The plea also sought the convening of the session at the earliest and election of the CM without any adjournments, while also requesting the court to ensure there would be no obstruction during the voting for the election of the CM. The petition also requested the court to declare actions – adjourning the session, sealing the premises, and stopping lawmakers from voting as being illegal. In his petition, Hamza made the chief secretary, speaker/deputy speaker, the PA secretary, Pervez Elahi and Inspector General of Police Punjab as respondents, contending that the facts and circumstances have triggered a constitutional crisis of a magnitude not witnessed in the parliamentary history of the province. ACL1351