Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday warned the Punjab governor to “refrain” from taking any steps as he said incumbent Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would seek a no-confidence vote today. Will not do it.
Speaking to the media in the federal capital, the former information minister clarified that there will be no no-confidence vote today as the Speaker of the Assembly had also issued an order in this regard.
On the other hand, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that if PTI takes any unconstitutional action, the government can impose governor’s rule in Punjab.
He further said that if Governor’s rule is imposed, there is a period of six months.
This comment of the interior minister came after a delegation of PPP and Muslim League (N) legislators submitted a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Pervez Elahi to prevent the dissolution of the provincial assembly.
Later, the government announced that Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman will de-notify Chief Minister Elahi if he does not receive a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly.
While talking about this matter, Sanaullah said that whatever PTI does, it cannot resist the constitution.
Sanaullah further said that it is the will of the governor to ask for a vote of confidence.
They have been crying for dissolution of assemblies for a month. In this situation, the governor has the right to exercise his discretion,” the home minister said.
تحریک انصاف کچھ بھی کر لے آئین سے مزاحمت نہیں کر سکتی، آئین میں لکھا ہے کہ وزیر اعلیٰ اعتماد کا ووٹ نہ لیں تو وہ وزیر اعلیٰ نہیں رہیں گے، گورنر کی مرضی ہے جب بھی اعتماد کے ووٹ لینے کا کہہ دیں، ہمیں معلوم ہے کہ انکے پاس نمبر پورے نہیں ہیں اگر ہیں تو ووٹ آف کانفیڈینس لے لیں۔
— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@RanaSanaullahPK) December 21, 2022
The minister added that the government knows that PTI does not have the full number of voters and if they do, they should take a vote of confidence.
“He has no option but to take the vote of confidence. If it is confirmed that he is not taking the vote of confidence, the Punjab governor will issue a fresh notification,” the home minister added.
Sanaullah also said that it has been decided by consensus that former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz will be the candidate for the post of Chief Minister.
The minister also said that he was not aware of any conversation with God.
Sanaullah said that if the assemblies were dissolved, there would be elections, now they are running away from dissolving the KP assembly.
The interior minister criticized PTI chairman Imran Khan and said that he is working on an anti-national agenda and the real agenda of the former prime minister is to bankrupt the country.
Sanaullah said that apart from Imran Khan, the establishment, judiciary, politicians and the nation want stability in the country.
A day ago, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had said that the vote of confidence against Elahi and the motion of no confidence will be countered with the alliance of his party and Muslim League (Q).
According to law, the Chief Minister cannot dissolve the Assembly after moving a no-confidence motion against him. The recent requirement for the Governor to secure a vote of confidence from the House for the Chief Minister means that he has to ensure that he manages to secure 186 votes in the Assembly.
PTI currently has 177 members while Muslim League (Q) has 10 members in the Punjab Assembly. On the other hand, the opposition has a combined 176 members of Muslim League (N), People’s Party and Rah Haq parties.
