Daily Times

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) on Friday withdrew the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) leader and incumbent Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. In the Punjab Assembly, PML-N Chief Whip Khalil Tahir Sindhu and others submitted the signed petition to withdraw the no-confidence motion to the Assembly secretary. The petition stated that after the notification of Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman on December 22, Elahi ceased to be the chief minister, therefore, there is no need for further action on the no-confidence motion against him. The no-confidence motion was to be presented in the House today in a meeting presided over by Speaker Punjab Assembly. On December 19, the PPP and the PML-N – two major parties in the alliance, filed a no-confidence motion against the Punjab chief minister to delay the assembly’s dissolution.

The same day, Governor Rehman directed Chief Minister Elahi to seek a vote of confidence on December 21. However, Speaker Sibtain Khan said that the governor’s letter, asking the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence was against the assembly rules, as well as the Constitution. The province descended into further turmoil as Governor Rehman rejected the ruling of Speaker Sibtain and de-notified CM Elahi for failing to take a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly on Wednesday, December 21, on his order. Subsequently, Elahi filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking to declare his de-notification illegal, which restored him back on Friday.