LAHORE: After a tumultuous late-night session of the Punjab Assembly during which Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi managed to win the confidence of the assembly members, Lahore High Court Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh on Thursday remarked that the matter related to the vote of confidence. It has been settled.
Justice Abid made these remarks while heading a five-judge bench hearing Pervez Elahi’s petition challenging Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman’s order removing the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) leader as chief minister. had gone.
Besides Justice Abid, the bench includes Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh, Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir and Justice Asim Hafeez.
During today’s hearing, the Chief Minister’s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar told the bench that his client has taken the vote of confidence. He further said that 186 members expressed confidence in Parvez Elahi.
While the Governor’s lawyer also confirmed to the bench that the Chief Minister has taken the vote of confidence.
Is the governor satisfied with the vote of confidence? Justice Abid asked the question.
On this, the lawyer requested the bench to make the proceedings of the assembly a part of the court record.
Justice Abid turned to Zafar and asked the Chief Minister’s counsel if he intends to hear the petition further as the floor test has been done.
To this, Zafar agreed that the petition has become ineffective after the trust vote but would like to discuss the governor’s notification as it is a “matter of principle”, adding that the reasons for the governor to remove the chief minister Should have told. Cabinet
“The governor’s notification was not legal,” Zafar insisted.
On which Justice Abid remarked that the issue of trust vote has been settled but now the bench has to decide whether the notification of the governor was legal or not.
However, Justice Hafeez remarked that if Zafar is contesting the legality of the Governor’s order, the matter will go to its logical conclusion.
Justice Abid agreed with the observation and said that the court has to examine everything.
On this, Barrister Zafar argued that the governor’s de-notification order was illegal, requesting the court to pronounce its verdict.
Justice Abid remarked that there are now three questions before the bench, Elahi has taken a vote of confidence on one question.
On the issue of providing adequate time, Zafar said he would assist the court on the matter.
Justice Abid inquired that the third question would be that if the session does not take place, can the Chief Minister be sent home if the vote of confidence is not taken? He added that the court could also question the governor’s decision to set a date for the trust vote.
