Hours after PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz was sworn in as the chief minister of Punjab, capping a long drawn legal and political battle, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry called for immediate termination of the oath, urging the Chief Justice of Pakistan to step the constitutional crisis before it deepens further.
The oath came as Punjab remained deadlocked for weeks over the chief minister’s election controversy which mushroomed into a constitutional crisis and left the political heartland in limbo and with no effective government.
However, it seemed the political actors were in no mood to concede and stop pressing for their competing courses of action to the limit.
“I strongly condemn the illegal occupation of Governor House Lahore. In this regard, the provincial administration has clearly violated the Constitution and the law,” Fawad said in a tweet while demanding immediate termination of the oath.
The former information minister urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to step in and take notice of the constitutional crisis in Punjab, adding the matter pertaining to the “illegal oath” should be adjudicated upon after listening to all parties.
Also read: LHC advises CJ to form larger bench on PTI plea against Hamza’s oath-taking
“A person who managed to secure an interim bail went on to take over the grounds of the Governor House to take oath in a private ceremony and began referring to himself as the chief minister. Who will accept this act?” he asked.
چیف جسٹس پاکستان پنجاب میں آئینی بحران کا نوٹس لیں، حمزہ شہباز کا غیر قانونی حلف روکا جائے اور فریقین کو سن کر فیصلہ کیا جائے۔۔ #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 30, 2022
On the other hand, reacting to the criticism, Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said the hue and cry will not alter the fact that Hamza Shehbaz has finally taken over as the chief minister.
“Alhamdulillah, prison doors will be opened for only those who resorted to hooliganism against the Constitution, parliament and courts,” she said adding that they made a mockery of law and the Constitution.
She said it was possible to listen to a party but "not thugs and violators of the Constitution".
روؤ،چیخوں یا پٹو وزیراعلی پنجاب حمزہ شہباز نے حلف اُٹھا لیا ہے الحمدللّٰہ آئین ،پارلیمنٹ اور عدالتوں کے خلاف غنڈہ گردی کرنے والوں کے لئے صرف جیل کے دروازے کھلیں گے آئین اور قانون کو غنڈہ گردوں نے مذاق بنا کر رکھ دیا.فریقین کو سنا جا سکتا ہے غنڈوں بد معاشوں اور آئین شکنوں کو نہیں https://t.co/pclWskIz8Q
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) April 30, 2022
Meanwhile, as the oath-taking ceremony went on in the Governor House, Governor Cheema urged the chief justice to take notice of the "ghunda gardi" at the Governor House, saying the "drama of a fake chief minister's oath" was being performed in an "unconstitutional" manner.
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