Punjab: Process for caretaker setup begins
KHAN TO HOLD MEETING WITH FORMER PUNJAB CM TO DISCUSS FUTURE STEPS
Weeks before the scheduled election in Pakistan’s largest province, the outgoing PTI and PML-Q government is finalising details for the appointment of a caretaker setup following the dissolution of the provincial assembly.
Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pervez Elahi’s Pakistan Muslim League (Q) have held separate consultative meetings with their party leaders and outgoing cabinet members to discuss their political strategies in Punjab. Khan was expected to meet Elahi last evening at his Lahore residence to finalise the candidates for the slot of the caretaker chief minister.
Punjab provincial assembly was dissolved on the advice of the chief minister, an ally of former premier Imran Khan, in a bid to mount further pressure on the federal government to hold snap general elections. The countrywide general elections are due in October 2023. Khan’s party PTI is expected to also dissolve the provincial assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where it holds power.
Khan was expected to meet Elahi (pictured) at his Lahore residence to finalise the candidates for the slot of the caretaker chief minister.
Assembly dissolution
The dissolution of the Punjab Assembly took effect after a 48hour deadline as Punjab Governor Baligh ur Rehman refused to become part of the assembly dissolution process. “I would rather let the Constitution and law take their own course” as it “will not hamper any legal process as the Constitution clearly provides a way forward,” he said on Twitter.
After the formal dissolution of the assembly, the Punjab governor initiated the process for the appointment of a caretaker chief minister. Governor Balighur Rehman wrote to Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz, saying: “The provincial assembly of Punjab and cabinet stand dissolved under Article 112(1) of the Constitution on Jan 14. The caretaker chief minister shall be appointed by the undersigned in consultation with the outgoing chief minister and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing provincial assembly as per Article 224 (1A) of the Constitution.”
The governor invited both sides to participate in the process of appointment of an interim CM and suggest names of their nominees within three days — by January 17. He also said that he is available to meet with Elahi and Shehbaz to discuss the issue if both leaders wished. However, Hamza Shehbaz, who is the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has reportedly not returned from the United States to take part in the consultation process.
The assembly dissolution means fresh elections in Punjab — home to more than half of Pakistan’s population of more than 220 million. PML-Q leader and Parvez Elahi’s son, Moonis Elahi tweeted that it is “election time” in Punjab.