The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) on Wednesday night refused to accept the motion of trust vote in the Punjab Assembly, with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah calling it unconstitutional and “illegal”.
Speaking to the media outside the PA premises after the opposition boycotted the meeting, the Home Minister said that PTI’s lawyers argued before the court that the Governor’s order was unconstitutional.
“So, how did they get a vote of confidence under Article 130(7) today?” he asked.
“PA Speaker Sabatin Khan had earlier said that there would be no confidence vote in today’s meeting. However, the agenda was changed at midnight, and a fraudulent confidence vote was started.”
He noted that the trust vote proceedings did not meet the requirements of Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman’s order under which Chief Minister Elahi had to take a vote of confidence.
The home minister questioned the timing and legality of the PA’s action, saying if the governor’s order is suspended and pending, how can he initiate a vote of confidence.
He said that despite his efforts for the last 10 to 12 hours, he still does not have the full numbers for the trust vote. He asserted that this is the reason why he did not fulfill the requirements of the elections.
The federal minister said that the Muslim League (N) will present the travel history of the PTI members in the court to prove that the votes of the absent members were also cast.
On this occasion, PML-N leader Atta Tarar said that PML-N will prove in the court that Tehreek-e-Insaaf does not have the required number to get a vote of confidence.
Parvez Elahi won the vote of confidence.
Earlier today, on Wednesday night, Chief Minister Elahi won a vote of confidence, with the opposition boycotting the meeting in protest and carrying copies of the agenda.
The vote of confidence came after the Lahore High Court ordered that the governor has the power to ask the chief minister to seek the confidence of the House even during an ongoing session.
The court had also said that the chief minister should get the support of at least 186 legislators to get a vote of confidence.
A total of 186 Members of Provincial Assembly (MPA) voted in favor of Elahi as Chief Minister on the resolution presented by Mian Aslam Iqbal and Raja Basharat.
