The notification said the speaker of the Punjab assembly “will perform his responsibilities as acting governor of Punjab till the appointment of the new governor”.
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday removed Omar Sarfraz Cheema as governor of Punjab on an advice of the prime minister, a notification said.
“… the Prime Minister’s advice (s) rendered on 17-04-2022 and 01-05-2022 for removal of Governor of Punjab, Mr Omer Sarfaraz Cheema ceases to hold the office of the Governor Punjab, with immediate effect,” the notification from the Cabinet Division said.
President Arif Alvi earlier rejected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice to remove the Punjab governor.
The Cabinet Division notification said the speaker of the Punjab assembly “will perform his responsibilities as acting governor of Punjab till the appointment of the new governor”.
The PML-N government has nominated Baligh-ur-Rehman as the new governor of Punjab.
Rehman, who hails from Bhawalpur, was elected from the NA-185 constituency in 2008 and 2013. He had earlier served as the state minister for education, interior and narcotics control when Nawaz Sharif became prime minister after the PML-N’s victory in the 2013 elections.
Earlier President Alvi flexed his nonexistent constitutional muscle to veto Prime Minister Sharif’s advice to send the sitting governor of Punjab home. In a written communication to PM Sharif, Dr Alvi made it clear that such orders by the PM could not be carried out without the President’s approval.
“The governor shall hold the office during the pleasure of the President,” the President said in a written communication to the PM, referring to clause 3 of Article 101 of the Constitution. “The incumbent governor cannot be removed as there was neither any allegation of misconduct nor conviction by any court of law or of any act committed by him contrary to the Constitution of Pakistan.”
President Alvi said it was his duty as Head of the State to represent the unity of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in terms of Article 41 of the Constitution.
Highlighting the Constitutional role of the Governor of Punjab, the President said the governor had also sent a report earlier regarding the unfortunate happenings in the Punjab Assembly, questions regarding the validity of the resignation of Chief Minister Punjab, Sardar Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar, and shifting of loyalties.
Rejecting the advice of PM Sharif, he stated that he was convinced that the removal of the governor would be unfair and against the norms of justice. The President emphasised it was essential that the incumbent Governor should continue to stay to encourage and promote a healthy and clean democratic system where members were not coerced or bought to bring about an illegitimate change and Article 63A of the Constitution specifically discouraged such activities.
The President said he was committed to stand by the provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan in these difficult times and strongly rejected the advice of the Prime Minister to remove the Governor Punjab.
In a separate development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar lauded Umer Sarfaraz Cheema over his intransigence. He maintained the former Governor had steadfastly “refused to accept unconstitutional as constitutional” despite all pressure.
Notably, the President’s stance on the matter is clearly in contravention of the Constitution. Article 48 of the Constitution says the President may require the Prime Minister to reconsider his advice, but he has to act (within ten days) on the advice tendered after reconsideration.
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