ISLAMABAD, Jul 27 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday administered the oath of office to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi after the Supreme Court declared him the Chief Minister of Punjab, striking down the deputy speaker’s ruling on the election.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr late at night and attended by the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Chaudhary Moonis Elahi, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, Chaudhary Hussain Elahi, Chaudhry Rasik Elahi, Sheikh Rashid, Fawad Chaudhary, Pervaiz Khatak, Babar Awan, Senator Shibli Faraz, Farrukh Habib, Noor up Haq Qadri, Ali Zaidi, Senator Azam Swati, Malik Main Aslam, Senator Faisal Javed, Sheharyar Afridi, Shehbaz Gill and Amir Mehmood Kiani also witnessed the ceremony.
Earlier, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Chief Minister Elect called on President Dr Arif Alvi. The President congratulated him on his election as Chief Minister of Punjab.
The oath-taking ceremony was held in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s direction contained in the judgment on CP No. 22 against the ruling of Deputy Speaker, Punjab Assembly on 22.07.2022 wherein Supreme Court directed the Governor, Punjab to arrange and administer the oath of office to the petitioner as the duly elected Chief Minister, Punjab in accordance with law and the Constitution not later than 11:30 pm tonight i.e. 26.07.2022. It was stated that in case, the Governor, of Punjab is unable or unwilling to administer such an oath, the President of Pakistan may forthwith administer the oath of office to the petitioner as Chief Minister, Punjab.
Pervaiz Elahi flew from Lahore to Islamabad for the swearing in as the apex court had asked the president to administer the oath, in case Punjab governor was “unable or unwilling” to do so.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar struck down Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling on Punjab chief minister’s election, declaring his “understanding and implementation” of Article 63A(1)(b) of the Constitution “incorrect and erroneous”.
The verdict made PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz lose his status of the “trustee” chief minister and made his rival Parvez Elahi the Punjab’s chief minister.
During the election held on July 22, Deputy Speaker Mazari had decided against counting the votes of 10 PML-Q lawmakers, which were cast in Elahi’s favour, citing a letter written by party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in which he had instructed them to vote for Hamza instead.
The deputy speaker’s decision had favored Hamza Shehbaz which was reversed by the supreme court in its ruling on Pervaiz Elahi’s petition.
As directed by the court, the Punjab Chief Secretary issued a notification on Pervaiz Elahi’s election, which read, “Consequent upon the short order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan under Constitution Petition No. 22 of 2022, dated 26.07.2022 Mr Pervez Elahi is declared duly elected Chief Minister of the Punjab with immediate effect.”
