Sarwar blasts PTI for ‘imposing’ Buzdar, ‘pleasing’ Chaudhrys

Governor removed on the complaint of Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi, say sources

LAHORE:

Former Punjab governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar on Sunday laced into the PTI leadership after he was sacked from office, lamenting that he was dismissed despite his proposal for a voluntary resignation as he was asked to do “unconstitutional things”.

Addressing a press conference shortly after being sacked, Sarwar said he was asked to do "unconstitutional things", adding that once former CM Buzdar had resigned from his post, despite it not being approved and notified, the prime minister and PTI leadership asked him to call a session of the Punjab Assembly to elect the new CM.

The PTI government removed Chaudhry Sarwar as governor of Punjab and appointed Omar Cheema in his place, ahead of the election for the new Punjab chief minister and the voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly.

Sources said the governor was removed on the complaint of Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi. Elahi had accused Sarwar of siding with the Aleem Khan group -- that is supporting PML-N's Hamza Shehbaz against Elahi – in the election of the Punjab CM.

"I asked them to not make me do illegal things. I told them that they can have me resign, but I will not do unconstitutional acts," Sarwar claimed during the press conference.

Sarwar said out of 184 PTI MPAs, Imran could not find a single candidate to make them the Punjab CM and instead, he chose PML-Q’s Pervaiz Elahi. “This is a slap on the face of PTI leaders and workers that such a person who blackmailed the PTI for the past 3.5 years” was being appointed as the nominee for the CM.

Read Pakistan threatened with 'dire consequences' if no-trust fails: PM Imran

You [Imran] say you won’t be blackmailed by anyone but a person with nine MPAs was blackmailing you,” he added. "All of PTI workers and the federal ministers complained to us whether this was the Pakistan that we wanted where the chief secretary and inspector general are changed every three months.”

"Bribery has reached the grassroots levels, but we vowed to stand with Imran Khan.”

The former governor said he himself had proposed to tender his resignation voluntarily, adding that Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Pervez Khattak are witnesses to it.

'Unconstitutional things'

According to Sarwar, he objected to calling the session of the assembly in such a way as he believed in the supremacy of the Constitution. “I even offered to tender my resignation,” he added. Khattak started accusing me of siding with the opposition, he added.

“I was then told that Elahi says the session of the Punjab Assembly should be called on April 2 because he could not win otherwise,” he said, adding that he went to the PM and told Elahi was blackmailing the PTI for over three years.

“I am not happy … why could not a PTI lawmaker not become the CM,” Sarwar said while referring to the conversation with the premier. “I eventually signed the paper,” he said, adding that he committed an unconstitutional act in the dead of night and he met the same fate as he was sacked at night as well.

“Last night, I received a call saying that Pervaiz Elahi was losing…so I delayed the assembly session…you also have power to dissolve the assembly if he doesn’t get the required 186 votes,” Sarwar said as he revealed further details during the presser.

“I told them whatever PM Imran will say I will do…as long as it doesn’t violate the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said. “I told them I would discuss with my legal team in the morning and if it was legal I would do as the PM says,” he went on to recount the contents of the phone call.

Sarwar also underscored the importance of Pakistan's ties with the European Union and the United States. He added that ties with countries should be made on the basis of economic benefits.

Cheema sworn in

Meanwhile, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, founding member of the PTI, was sworn in as Punjab Governor during a ceremony at the Governor's House.

Chief Justice Lahore High Court Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti administered the oath to the incumbent Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema. Earlier, Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal read out the presidential notification of the appointment.