Daily Times

LAHORE: Opposition members have urged Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal to send a reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan for disqualification of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over alleged relocation of his family’s sugar mills in prohibited areas of the province.

Addressing a press conference here at the PA Secretariat on Friday, Opposition Leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said that it had been proved that the chief minister was allegedly involved in misuse of power by give incentives to his family in relocation of sugar mills.

Flanked by Dr Murad Raees and other legislators, the opposition leader said that the Supreme Court (SC) had also rejected the plea of the CM seeking relief from the apex court in the matter of his family’s sugar mills’ installation in the Saraiki area of the province.

“While the Lahore High Court (LHC) had already given a verdict against the relocation of Sharif family’s sugar mills… the CM should step down from his office, as it was a proven fact that he [CM] had given preference to his family’s profit on the national interest,” he said.

He said that the speaker should accept their reference for disqualification of the CM and forward it to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for further action, as he [CM] had lost moral grounds to hold the chief executive office of the province as per articles 62 and 63 of the constitution.

He said that the speaker prorogued the session of the assembly in haste – to avoid any possible protest from the opposition – after receiving a phone call.