Hamza Shehbaz asks LHC for immediate Punjab CM elections

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz approached on Friday the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking its help to hold elections for Punjab's new chief minister, Aaj News reported.

In his petition, Shehbaz said the CM's post has remained vacant for many days and the inaction in holding elections for the post was based on mala fide, with the intent to defeat the mandatory constitutional requirements.

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The petitioner called on the LHC to issue directives for convening the session of the provincial assembly immediately.

Through its chief secretary the petition has named the province of Punjab , the PA speaker and deputy speaker, and the provincial police chief as respondents. It also pleaded to restrict the respondents from stopping anyone from attending the session or voting.

Following the resignation of Usman Buzdar, the provincial assembly was meant to vote to elect the new leader of the house on April 3, with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid's (PML-Q) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Shehbaz in the race to become the next chief minister, but the session was adjourned and set for April 6.

On the day, MPAs were not allowed to enter the building while the assembly premises were sealed off with barbed wires and the building’s main gate was locked. The opposition lawmakers, led by the PML-N, held a session of their own at a local hotel in which about 199 MPAs through a resolution reposed their trust on Shehbaz.

At the session, united opposition MPAs comprising PML-N, PPP, JKT, Aleem Khan, Asad Khokhar Groups and others condemned the Punjab Assembly speaker and officers for imposing restrictions on MPAs and media.

The session, chaired by Chairperson of panel Shazia Abid, slammed the unconstitutional and illegal steps taken in Punjab Assembly to stop election of new CM. PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz told media that Shehbaz was elected as Punjab's CM.