Security beefed up in Lahore amid Hamza’s swearing-in ceremony as new CM

Prisoner buses and water cannons have been deployed around the governor's house, the police say

LAHORE:

The Punjab Police on Saturday heightened security in Lahore while roads leading to the Punjab Governor House were sealed amid the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz.

On Friday, the Lahore High Court’s Justice Jawad Hassan had directed the National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf to administer the oath to the newly-elected Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz Sharif by 11:30am on Saturday (today).

According to police officials, a heavy contingent of law enforcement personnel, prisoner buses and water cannons had also been deployed outside the governor's house whereas the traffic on the Mall Road has also been diverted.

Instructing to tighten the security of the Chief Minister's Secretariat and its surroundings, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore DIG Bilal Siddique Kamyana said that full security would be provided to the guests visiting the governor's house and no un-authorized person or vehicle would be allowed to enter the premises.

Read More: To end Punjab crisis, NA speaker told to swear in Hamza

Earlier it was reported that the Punjab governor dismissed former chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar’s resignation - hours before PML-N’s Hamza was to be sworn in as the new CM - after which the former chief executive of the province immediately summoned a cabinet meeting at the Punjab Assembly.

Punjab Governor Umar Cheema wrote a letter to PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and stated that Buzdar’s resignation was dismissed on the basis of certain constitutional loopholes.

Buzdar told media personnel that he was at Punjab Assembly to chair a cabinet meeting. He maintained that he would discuss all constitutional issues with his legal team and then be in a position to update the media on whatever was decided.