By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: The process to install an interim set-up in the Punjab province has started after the provincial assembly dissolved automatically as Governor Punjab, Baligh ur Rehman refrained from giving his signature to the dissolution advice sent by Chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi.
According to Article 112(1) of the constitution, the provincial assembly stands automatically dissolved at the expiry of 48 hours after the CM has so advised if the governor did not sign the dissolution summary. With the dissolution of the provincial assembly, Pervez Elahi’s nearly six-month-long tumultuous stint at the top position in the province ended along with his cabinet.
PTI may announce nominees for interim set-up today
According to the sources, the PTI would decide on the nominees for the caretaker chief minister today (Sunday). CM Elahi would meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan today to discuss the nominees for the slot of the caretaker chief minister. The sources said that the list of the nominees for the post of caretaker chief minister included a civil servant, an economist, and a lawyer. The PTI is likely to disclose their names today. The sources insisted that PTI may forward the names of Senior Advocate Dr. Parvez Hassan, former inspector general of police Shoaib Suddle, and Economist Salman Shah for the caretaker chief minister slot.
The governor, on Saturday, wrote a letter to Chief Minister Pervez Elahi (Leader of the House) and the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, asking them to participate in the process of appointment of the caretaker government.
The letter titled ‘Appointment of Caretaker Chief Minister’ read: “The provincial assembly of the Punjab and the cabinet stands dissolved under Article 112(I) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan w.e.f. January 14, 2023 at 2210 hrs. The caretaker CM shall be appointed by the undersigned in consultation with the outgoing CM and the opposition leader in the outgoing Provincial Assembly as per Article 224(1A) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Above in view, I call upon you to participate in the process of appointment of caretaker CM and provide the name of a person to be appointed as such, within three days hereof, i.e. by January 17, 2023, 2210 hours.”
After securing the confidence of 186 members on Thursday, Chief Minister Elahi had sent an advice to Governor Punjab for the dissolution of the Assembly. The decision to this effect was taken during a meeting between the chief minister and the PTI chairman, where senior party leaders were also present.
On the other hand, the dissolution of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has been delayed as Chief Minister, Mahmood Khan has called an urgent meeting of the PTI parliamentary party today to further discuss the issue.
The meeting will take a final decision about when to send a summary for the assembly’s dissolution, after taking into consideration all aspects of the political situation. Earlier, it was announced that the summary would be sent to Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. The PTI believes that the dissolution of two provincial assemblies would pave way for the general elections the Imran-led party has been insisting on since their ouster.
