President Dr Arif Alvi appointed on Monday Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman as Governor of Punjab. He will replace Omar Sarfraz Cheema, who was removed from office earlier this month following controversy over the election of Hamza Shehbaz as Punjab CM.
According to a tweet, the approval was given by the president on the advice of the prime minister under Article 101 (1) of the Constitution. Rehman belongs to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
“No.3-1/2022-Min.II - In terms of Article 101 and Proviso to Article 48 (1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, read with serial advice(s) rendered on 17-04-2022 and 01-05-2022 for removal of Governor of the Punjab, Omar Sarfraz Cheema ceases to hold the office of the Governor of the Punjab, with immediate effect,” the notification read.
After Cheema’s ouster, Punjab Assembly speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had been acting governor.
Amid controversy around Cheema refusing to administer oath to PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz as Punjab chief minister, the government moved to remove him from from office.
Punjab governor continues to speak out against Hamza Shehbaz
President Arif Alvi rejected the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to dismiss Cheema but the Cabinet Division approved it anyway, a move Cheema said was unconstitutional.
President Alvi had said he was convinced that the removal of the governor would be unfair and against the norms of justice.
Earlier, Cheema highlighted that the crisis-hit Punjab province had been taken hostage by force. He added that the silence of mainstream political parties on the constitutional crisis in Punjab was extremely worrying.