The Lahore High Court gave a day’s deadline to the provincial governor to ensure that chief minister elect Hamza Shehbaz was sworn-in by Thursday.
Announcing the reserved judgment, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti said that the governor can either administer the oath himself or appoint a nominee to conduct the proceedings.
Moreover, it stressed that the process needs to be completed by April 28 (Thursday).
Justice Bhatti remarked that the Constitution urges prompt formation of federal and provincial government.
He further observed that the president should play his Constitutional role in resolving the matter and he was bound to ensure a functional provincial government in Punjab.
The chief justice added that the president was obliged under the constitution to facilitate the administration of oath to any premier or chief minister of any province.
Justice Bhatti observed that the province was being run without a chief minister ever since Usman Buzdar resigned 25 days ago and Hamza Shehbaz’s oath-taking was being delayed on one pretext or the other.
Hamza Shehbaz was elected as the chief minister in a dramatic session of the Punjab Assembly earlier this month with 199 votes.
