Sources said on Saturday that the Punjab Assembly has been dissolved after Governor Balighur Rehman refused to sign the summary sent to dissolve the Legislative Assembly.
Chief Minister Punjab Pervaiz Elahi – who will serve as chief minister until a caretaker government is appointed – sent the summary of the dissolution on Thursday, and according to the constitution, the assembly is dissolved within 48 hours regardless of the governor’s decision.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rehman avoided the process of dissolution and decided to let the constitution take its course.
“I have decided not to be a part of the process of dissolution of the Punjab Assembly. I will let the constitution and the law take their course.”
I have decided not to become part of the process leading to the dissolution of Punjab Assembly. I would rather let the Constitution and law take its own course. Doing so will not hamper any legal process as Constitution clearly provides a way forward.
— M Baligh Ur Rehman (@MBalighurRehman) January 14, 2023
“Doing so will not hamper any legal process as the constitution clearly provides the way forward,” the governor – who had earlier described the assembly as “difficult” – said.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan announced the dissolution of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab assemblies in November last year. However, the plans were delayed due to consultations with allies and countermeasures adopted by the ruling coalition at the Centre.
Responding to the governor’s statement, PTI senior vice-chairman Fawad Chaudhry said it was not the first time he had “undermined democratic decisions just to please his undemocratic masters”.
Fawad said on his Twitter handle: “Your decision was against the dignity of your office”, claiming that 48 hours had passed since the assembly was dissolved.
پہلا موقع نہیں کہ آپ نے اپنے غیر جمہوری آقاؤں کی خوشنودی کیلئے جمہوری فیصلوں کو روندا ہو، آپ کے فیصلے آپ کے عہدے کے وقار کے منافی رہے، بہرحال 48 گھنٹوں کا وقت گزر چکا ہے اور آئین کے تحت پنجاب اسمبلی تحلیل ہو چکی ہے۔ اب PeeDM کا سامنا میدان میں ہو گا۔ https://t.co/JF0pxVDOHb
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 14, 2023
The former information minister said that PTI will now take on the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in the field.
Before the dissolution of the assembly, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif directed the party leadership to prepare for elections in Punjab.
According to a statement by Information and Broadcasting Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, the PML-N leader said these things at the party’s consultative meeting in London.
قائد نوازشریف کی پارٹی صدر محمد شہباز شریف کو پارلیمانی بورڈ قائم کرنے کی ہدایت کر دی
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) January 14, 2023
پورے جذبے، اعتماد اور بھرپور تیاری اور قوت سے آگے بڑھیں: نواز شریف کی ہدایت
انشاءاللہ فتح پاکستان مسلم لیگ ن کی ہو گی -نواز شریف
According to Aurangzeb, Nawaz also directed the party to set up a parliamentary board, and instructed all workers to “move forward with full enthusiasm, confidence, and full readiness and vigour”.
Formation of Caretaker Government
After the dissolution, Rehman sent letters to Chief Minister Elahi and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz to appoint a caretaker government.
پنجاب اسمبلی کی تحلیل کے بعد ایک متفقہ نگران وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب کے لیے وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب اور قائدِ حزب اختلاف پنجاب اسمبلی کو مراسلے جاری کر دیے گئے! pic.twitter.com/lTcVJopx1S
— M Baligh Ur Rehman (@MBalighurRehman) January 14, 2023
However, if the two leaders – Chief Minister Elahi and Hamza – remain deadlocked for three days over the appointment, the Speaker will form a six-member committee of the outgoing assembly with equal representation from the Treasury and the opposition.
The Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition will send two candidates to the committee.
The committee will then have three days to reach consensus on a name. If this also fails, the names of the nominated candidates will be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for a final decision within two days.
The selected candidate will perform his duties as the interim chief minister till the formation of the new government in the province. He also has the power to include the caretaker chief minister in his cabinet.
After the appointment of the caretaker chief minister, the Election Commission is bound to hold general elections in the province within 90 days.
The electoral body can conduct the elections within 22 to 45 days as constitutionally at least 22 days are required to scrutinize the nomination papers of the candidates.
Candidates will be given 29 to 30 days to campaign. Considering such a timeline, it is likely that the ECP will hold elections between March 1 and April 10.
