Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader and Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and PML-Q Secretary General Kamil Ali Agha filed two intra-court appeals in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday, challenging the court’s yesterday’s verdict that restored PA Deputy Speaker Sardar Daust Muhammad Mazari’s powers.
Chaudhry Pervaiz made the deputy speaker, assembly secretary, inspector general of Police (IGP), Punjab, and chief secretary respondents in his appeal, which argued that the LHC Chief Justice (CJ) had not applied the relevant law in restoring the deputy speaker’s powers. The appeal stated, “The CJ made the decision by ignoring the assembly rules and the constitution.”
Authorizing Deputy Speaker Daust Muhammad Mazari to supervise the election for Punjab Chief Minister would be illegal in this situation, according to Chaudhry Pervaiz.
Furthermore, the petition filed by the deputy speaker in the LHC was inadmissible for the hearing from the start, according to the petition.
The petition stated that the proceedings of the assembly could not be challenged in a court of law. “As a result, the single bench decision of the LHC be declared illegal, unconstitutional, and null and void.” The decision of the CJ stays until the court rules on this petition,” the appeal concluded.
The LHC dismissed a petition filed by Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz to convene the Punjab Assembly session early to elect a new chief minister yesterday (Wednesday, April 13, 2022).
In a brief decision, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti ordered that the Punjab Assembly session be held on April 16 as scheduled by the deputy speaker.
PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz, who is running for CM, has petitioned the LHC to hold early elections, while Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari has petitioned the court to have his powers revoked.
Rejecting Hamza’s request, LHC CJ Bhatti requested that the elections be held on April 16 and that all parties perform their duties impartially.
The LHC’s top judge stated that all Punjab Assembly personnel will work to ensure that the election is held on time and that the repair work should be completed before 11 a.m. on election day.
Since ex-governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar — who was removed from his position last week — accepted Usman Buzdar’s resignation on April 1, the CM’s office has been vacant for nearly two weeks.
