LAHORE 22 April (ONLINE): Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered President Arif Alvi to appoint his representative to administer oath to the newly elected Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shehbaz after Governor Punjab Umer Cheema refused to do so.
Chief Justice LHC said “A copy of the court order should immediately be sent to the president.”
Order was issued after the hearing of petition filed by Hamza earlier this week.
Hamza elected CM Punjab during the session of Punjab Assembly on 16 April, which was held on the order of LHC and Governor Punjab Umer Sarfraz Cheema refused to his constitution duty after delaying the Oath taking ceremony.
While adjourning the hearing till 2pm Court has warned Umer Cheema to take decision to take oath and said that court will announce verdict as governor had no justification on delaying the oath taking ceremony.
Punjab Advocate General Ahmed Owais argued that he had met the governor on court orders and the two of them discussed some objections over administering oath to Hamza.
“In the absence of the governor, the speaker of the Punjab Assembly had the responsibility to administer the oath.
“But Hamza hasn’t named the speaker as respondent in his petition,” he argued.
When the judge asked whether the governor had given any reason for not administering the oath, Owais replied that the governor believed the chief minister’s election was against the law and the Constitution.
“The governor is not a rubber stamp or post office. The Punjab governor has taken an oath and he has to abide by the Constitution,” he added.
He said he wanted to submit a detailed written response to the court because of the seriousness of the matter.
Justice Bhatti, however, remarked, “If it was so important, you would have prepared for your arguments. You just come to court to take dates.” The judge then dismissed the advocate general’s request to adjourn the hearing, saying that the governor had to respond.
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