PTI will approach SC against LHC's decision to recount votes for CM Punjab: Imran Khan

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Thursday that his party will approach the Supreme Court against the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) ruling regarding the recount of the vote on Hamza Shahbaz's election as Punjab chief minister, Aaj News reported.

“Look at the situation in Punjab. The country’s biggest province is running without an actual Chief Minister,” the PTI chief said while addressing a seminar in Islamabad.

“How can Hamza’s decisions as chief minister remain effective when his election was declared void,” questioned Imran Khan.

“There are anomalies in the LHC’s decision, which will further deteriorate the political crisis in Punjab instead of solving it. Therefore, we have decided to approach the Supreme Court against the decision."

His announcement comes after the LHC declared the election of Hamza Shehbaz as chief minister of Punjab null and void.

A five-member larger bench of the high court, headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, approved petitions against the incumbent chief minister, PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz.

The bench decided the case 4-1 on the petitions challenging the election of Hamza on April 16. Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi descended the majority verdict.

The high court has asked Governor Punjab to summon a session of the Punjab Assembly on July 1st (Friday). “The assembly members’ votes recounted minus 25 defecting members,” the court-ordered.

“Hamza Shahbaz’s decisions as chief minister will not be void,” the court further ruled.

During his address today, Imran Khan said that currently, the biggest debate in the country was related to the "regime change conspiracy" against his government.

"People are asking why our government, which was performing so well on the economic front, was removed through a conspiracy," he said.

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Khan said that he had never imagined that the "neutrals will hand over" the country to a person like Shehbaz Sharif.

"The day he along with other thieves assumed power, Pakistan’s economy lost k and is going down further with every passing day," he remarked.

He said that the current government is not interested in improving the economy, but rather saving their ill-gotten money.

“After coming into power, they have passed laws that will not only save their black money but will open a gateway for others as well," Khan said, adding that after amendments in the NAB laws, the prosecution of white-collar crimes will become impossible.