Alvi approves Baligh-ur-rehman appointment as Punjab Governor
President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday approved the appointment of Baligh-ur-rehman as the new Governor of Punjab, ending a weeks-long deadlock with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the holder of the constitutional office.
The move comes after President Alvi twice denied his assent to the prime minister’s nominees for the post, saying that Omar Sarfraz Cheema, who was de-notified by the federal government earlier this month, still held the office of Punjab governor as he (the president) had not approved his removal. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is currently hearing a case on whether the president has powers under the constitution to overrule the prime minister’s decision to remove a governor. However, this move by the president might make those proceedings redundant, reports Dawn News.
According to a tweet from the President’s Office, Alvi approved the appointment based on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice in accordance with Article 101 (1) of the Constitution.
Rehman was elected to the National Assembly in 2013 and has previously served as the federal education minister.
Rehman’s predecessor, PTI’S Omar Sarfraz Cheema, was removed from office on May 9, despite the president’s resistance.
Cheema had been appointed as the governor on April 3, days before the Imran Khan-led PTI government was ousted through a no-confidence vote.
The then PTI government had sacked Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar as Punjab governor and had appointed Omar Sarfraz Cheema.
During his short time in office, Cheema had repeatedly refused to administer oath to PML-N’S Hamza Shehbaz as the Punjab chief minister.
Eventually, Shehbaz had sent a summary for Cheema’s removal to the president on April 17, while Cheema had maintained that the prime minister did not have the authority to dismiss him and only the president could do so.
According to sources, the premier had maintained that if the president does not respond within 10 days, Rehman will take oath as governor of Punjab as the summary has been sent to the president for the second time.