Pakistan

CM-elect Hamza moves LHC for third time over delayed oath

Asks court to use state's ‘coercive power’ for implementation of orders, seeks action over violation of Constitution

Rana Yasif April 29, 2022

Hamza Shehbaz, son of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, arrives at the provincial assembly before his election as Chief Minister of Punjab in Lahore on April 16, 2022. PHOTO: AFP

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz on Friday moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the third time over Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema’s refusal to administer the oath to him in spite of LHC directives in this regard.

In his third petition, the PML-N leader asked the high court to nominate “any person” who could administer the oath to him at the Governor House and use the “coercive power” of the state to implement the directives of the bench.

In his petition, Hamza also sought proceedings against all the “constitutional office-bearers” for defying the high court and violating their constitutional duties.

The former Punjab Assembly opposition leader bagged the CM post with 197 votes in the election held on April 16 after the intervention of the high court that had appointed Dost Muhammad Mazari as the acting speaker. But the governor, a PTI leader, had refused to administer the oath citing reservations over the election of the chief minister.

Subsequently, Hamza went to the high court and the court asked President Arif Alvi to appoint an official for the oath-taking of Hamza as the CM of Punjab. The court, however, was not complied with.

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In a second petition, the CM-elect moved the court for implementation of its earlier order. The LHC chief justice had asked the governor to “ensure the completion of the process of administration of the oath of the CM, either himself or through his nominee on April 28, 2022”.

The CJ Bhatti in his order had said: “It is suggested/advised/proposed that governor ensure the completion of the process” of the oath-taking.

CJ Ameer Bhatti had also urged the president to play their constitutionally-mandated role to ensure a functioning government in Punjab and end the impasse. These directives were ignored once again after the oath was not administered by Cheema on April 28.

Now, this is the third time that Hamza had sought the intervention of the court to facilitate his oath-taking ceremony.