Hamza Shehbaz to remain ‘trustee’ CM till SC hearing resumes on Monday

Hamza Shehbaz to remain ‘trustee’ Chief Minister (CM) Punjab till Supreme Court (SC) hearing resumes on Monday!

The apex court adjourned the hearing of the plea filed by PML-Q’s Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

The SC has directed the deputy speaker Punjab Assembly to submit a written response.

Earlier during the day, the SC had summoned Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari. However, he did not appear before the court.

Instead his lawyer Irfan Qadir appeared before the court asked for more time and said he wanted to submit a written response. The court granted him time till Monday.

The chief justice in his remarks stated that the court has already given a decision on this subject on May 17.

In prima facie, the deputy speaker’s ruling is against that decision, he added.

“Want to see what was sent by the party leader. the court will examine what is the difference between the instructions of the party leader and the parliamentary leader, the simple question is whether the direction of the party leader or the parliamentary leader should be followed,” CJ added.

The court also remarked that the incumbent Punjab CM is not allowed to use his powers in any manner to benefit him and he should work in accordance with the law and the Constitution.

The apex court will supervise the affairs of the chief minister of Punjab in the meantime.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar is hearing the petition at SC’s Lahore Registry.

Chaudhry Pervez Elahi in his petition requested the court to hold the deputy speaker’s ruling leading to Hamza’s re-election as “bogus and false”.

“Hamza Shehbaz may kindly be declared disqualified as the Punjab chief minister/ member of the provincial assembly,” the petition read.

PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz on Saturday night took oath as chief minister of Punjab following a dramatic three-vote victory against PML-Q and PTI joint candidate Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

Governor Punjab Baligh Ur Rehman administered the oath to Hamza Shahbaz.

The oath-taking ceremony took place at the Punjab Governor House and was attended by PML-N leaders and other government officials.