By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Punjab assembly dissolved late on Saturday as per the Constitution on the advice of the chief minister, an ally of former prime minister Imran Khan, though the provincial governor declined to approve the move.
Governor Baligh Ur Rehman said he decided not to become part of the process.
“I have decided not to become part of the process leading to the dissolution of Punjab Assembly. I would rather let the Constitution and law take its own course,” Governor Rehman tweeted.
“Doing so will not hamper any legal process as the Constitution clearly provides a way forward.”
A notification posted on the Punjab governor’s Twitter handle read that the provincial assembly and the cabinet stand dissolved under Article 112(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan. It calls for the appointment of a caretaker chief minister in consultation with the outgoing chief minister and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing assembly.
Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi last Thursday advised the provincial governor to dissolve the Punjab assembly just a day after he managed to secure a trust vote.
As per the Constitution, the assembly dissolves within 48 hours regardless of the governor’s decision.
PTI’s chief Khan, who was ousted as prime minister in a no-confidence vote in April 2022, announced last month to dissolve two of the country’s four provincial assemblies where he holds power, in a bid to force early elections.
Khan’s PTI has governments in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as well as in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The coalition government, however, insists that general elections will be held after the completion of the tenure in August. Historically, polls for the federal and provincial governments are held at the same time every five years.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
