Lahore: The Lahore High Court dismissed the petition challenging the appointment of Mohsin Raza Naqvi as caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab.
Justice Shahid Karim said that the appointment has been made under the law as the Election Commission of Pakistan has the right to appoint the caretaker chief minister. During the hearing on Monday, the government told the court that the ECP and the courts have the power to restrain the caretaker chief minister from misusing his powers. The ECP has already stopped the implementation of several orders passed by Naqvi.
The government argued that if stakeholders could not agree on a name, it was only the ECP’s jurisdiction to appoint a caretaker chief minister. However, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed’s counsel argued that the ECP did not follow proper procedures in appointing Naqvi, and many of his actions were against the essence of the Constitution.
The petitioner alleged that Naqvi was involved in graft and corruption and had earlier entered into a plea bargain with the National Accountability Bureau. After hearing the arguments of both sides, the court rejected Rashid’s plea saying that the caretaker chief minister cannot act outside the neutrality and independence of the ECP. .
