Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz filed a constitutional petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday, asking the court to name an individual who will administer the oath of office to him and declare the actions taken by Punjab Governor Umar Sarfaraz Cheema and President Arif Alvi to stop him from taking the oath unconstitutional.
In his petition, Hamza stated that the Punjab government was still required to comply with the LHC’s order to take oath from him or appoint someone else, despite the fact that the LHC had ordered him to do so or appoint someone else.
It was therefore requested by the CM-elect, in the petition, that the court also set the date and time for him to take the oath of office.
Related: Governor seeks President’s advice at the swearing-in ceremony
LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Amir Bhatti had only two days earlier (Wednesday, April 27, 2022) ordered Punjab Governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema to administer the oath to Chief Minister-elect Hamza Sharif on Thursday or appoint another person who could administer the oath to him.
Hamza Shehbaz filed a petition with the LHC CJ for the appointment of a person to take the oath.
An order from CJ Bhatti stated that in case the governor was unwilling to perform the swearing-in, a new office would take the place of him or her.
The judge asked the president to carry out his constitutional duty and order the swearing-in of the incoming Chief Minister to be completed.
The CM-elect Hamza Shehbaz’s oath of office must be administered by tomorrow, according to the judge’s order.
