In an unexpected move Governor Punjab Omar Sarfaraz Cheema rejected Usman Buzdar’s resignation hours before Hamza Shehbaz was to be sworn-in as Punjab chief minister further deepening crisis in the province.
In a letter to Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi, Cheema maintained that Buzdar’s March 28 resignation was not in accordance to the rules and was addressed to the premier instead of the governor which is mandatory under sub-section 8 of Article 130 of the Constitution.
“The resignation was not addressed to the governor which was unconstitutional and thus rejected. Consequently, the provincial cabinet has been restored,” Cheema stated in the letter.
Following the development, Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting of his cabinet. However, soon after his meeting was over his protocol was abruptly removed.
Meanwhile, interestingly, Hamza Shehbaz’s oath-taking as chief minister of Punjab took place right after the cabinet meeting in the governor house was over.
The oath-taking was administered by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. PML-N leaders including Maryam Nawaz attended the ceremony.
In its judgement on a petition filed by Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, the Lahore High Court a day earlier had asked National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to administer oath to the new chief minister by 11:30am on Saturday.
The judgement came on the third petition filed by Hamza Shehbaz. In the previous judgement Lahore High Court chief justice had directed the provincial governor to ensure the oath-taking was complete on April 28.
The judgment had stated that both the decisions of this court despite having binding effect have been ignored deliberately by the President of Pakistan as well as by the Governor of Punjab. The governor through his conduct has also himself made it impracticable for the oath to be made before him.
“Respect for the law is never maintained by force but by the appreciation of the reasons, appreciating its veracity and through obedience. Unfortunately, sometimes, the law falls in crisis due to misunderstanding or lack of vision.”
Usman Buzdar stepped down as chief minister last month in a bid to offer the same slot to PTI’s then ally PML-Q in return for support in National Assembly over the no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan.
Following the resignation, former governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar was also abruptly removed from his position and Omar Sarfaraz Cheema was appointed as governor.
