Caretaker Punjab CM: PM Shehbaz calls Zardari, Shujaat, Fazl

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday discussed the issue of caretaker chief minister Punjab with former president Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League (Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

In a tweet, she stated that PM Shehbaz telephoned the three politicians and also held consultations on the political situation of the country.

His discussion came after former CM Pervaiz Elahi dissolved the provincial assembly.

Last week, Elahi sent a summary to Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman, recommending the dissolution of Punjab assembly.

The development came after Elahi met former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore. The decision to dissolve the provincial assembly was decided in the meeting.

The meeting came a day after CM Elahi obtained a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly to prove his majority in the house.

Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligh ur Rahman said on Saturday that he will not “become part of the process leading to the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly,“ a development that came minutes before the deadline for him to sign the chief minister’s advice to dissolve the provincial assembly.

In a Twitter post, he said: “I would rather let the Constitution and law take its own course. Doing so will not hamper any legal process as Constitution clearly provides a way forward.”

Later, the assembly was dissolved automatically after Rahman declined to sign the summary.

As per the constitution, the Punjab Assembly stood dissolved automatically at 10:12 pm on Saturday night, as Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had sent advice to governor to dissolve the assembly at 10:00 pm on January 12.

As per the constitution, the caretaker chief minister must be appointed by January 21.

Elahi will remain Punjab CM till the oath-taking of the caretaker chief minister.

The process for the appointment of caretaker chief minister Punjab started as the former ruling coalition and opposition considered different names to finalise a pick for the coveted slot.

In this connection, the former provincial ruling coalition comprising of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) started considering different candidates.

Likewise, the former provincial opposition, headed by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), and mainly having comprised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), also considered their nominees.