Daily Times

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday rejected the decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) to restore Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as Punjab chief minister and his cabinet, a private TV channel reported. The government also demanded a suo motu notice from the Supreme Court (SC), requesting that the incumbent provincial government should be limited to the powers of carrying out day-to-day affairs only. The remarks were made during a press conference held at the party secretariat in Model Town by Minister for Aviation and Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique along with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) leader Tariq Bashir Cheema. Rafique stated that LHC’s decision to reinstate Elahi does not meet the requirements of justice, adding that there are ‘flaws’ in it. He furthered that PML-N will most likely challenge the decision and that no institution can deviate from the Constitution. The minister added that the court has given 18 days during which there is “fear of horse trading”.

Rafique said Elahi will have to take the vote of confidence, adding that if he skips the vote then it will mean that the incumbent Punjab government does not have the majority of the House. “The present Punjab government is not an elected government but only based on a stay order,” he added. The interior minister said that assemblies are constitutional institutions and should be respected and not ‘turned into a joke’. “If the assemblies are being dissolved due to someone’s stubbornness and ego, it is the duty of the governor to at least ask for a vote of confidence,” said Sanaullah.

The minister added that the court granted complete relief in the form of interim relief, adding that it is never the case that final relief is granted in interim relief. Requesting the apex court to review the decision and take suo motu notice, the minister said that it is likely that the LHC’s decision to restore Elahi will create legal, constitutional, and economic complications which will seriously affect the province. “As there is an apprehension of horse trading, the court should have allowed only day-to-day matters under Article 133 in interim relief,” added the interior minister. Sanaullah also said that the current Punjab government does not have enough numbers and will not be able to take the vote of confidence, adding that if the provincial government dissolves the assembly by taking a vote of confidence, then provincial assembly elections will be held.