PA yet to move past shocking events
Punjab Assembly. PHOTO: APP
Punjab Assembly has yet to return to normality after the high political temperature experienced in the past few weeks when legal as well as physical conflicts marked the transfer of power from the treasury to opposition parties.
Both the PTI and PML-N accuse each other of resorting to illegal means at a level unmatched in the history of the province.
The PTI asserted that it was the first time when police were taken into the assembly chambers, which was not allowed in any circumstances.
On the other hand, the PML-N alleged that PTI members had turned the assembly into a battlefield y adopting to remain in power through illegal means.
The PTI and PML-Q appeared adamant to resist their removal from power but the tide turned against their coalition after a number of the ruling party’s own lawmakers joined hands with the PML-N and the Lahore High Court clearly ordered holding of election of the chief minister on April 16.
The court also ordered the National Assembly speaker at a later stage to administer oath to the newly elect Chief Minister, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif. The assembly secretariat not only barred PML-N’s lawmakers from entering the assembly but also Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari, who belongs to the PTI.
Afterwards, the speaker withdrew the powers of Mazari and the PTI submitted a no-trust motion against him.
Mazari had to knock the LHC doors to allow his entry into the assembly and Hamza Shehbaz had to seek court intervention against delaying tactics of the PTI and PML-Q in holding the CM’s election.
The LHC allowed Mazari to preside over assembly proceedings with directions to hold the election on April 16.
After winning the first phase of the legal battle against the delay in the election, the next and critical step for the PML-N was the voting on April 16.
The assembly presented a look of a battlefield on the day with lawmakers physically assaulting each other.
After crossing the obstacles in demonstrating majority’s support, the next step in the transfer of power was swearing in of the new chief minister, which was once again delayed on one pretext or the other.
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This prompted the PML-N again to reach the LHC, where Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti first ordered President Dr Arif Alvi to nominate someone to administer the oath but in vain. The CJ on two occasions advised the Punjab governor to ensure the administration of the oath but the court order was not complied with in letter and spirit.
The third time, Justice Jawad Hassan ordered National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf to administer oath to the newly elected CM.
However, another dramatic development ensued as Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi summoned an assembly session shortly ahead of administration of the oath.
The move sparked rumours that the speaker might declare the election of the new chief minister null and void.
However, the police arrested Punjab Assembly Coordination Secretary Inayatullah Lak in connection with an FIR registered against unnamed persons on charges of thrashing lawmakers, including presiding officer Mazari, and damaging the assembly’s equipment.
Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti also remained confined in the LHC after heavy contingents of police were deputed to arrest him As a result, the speaker had to adjourn the session till May 16.
On April 29, finding a solution to the lingering problem, Lahore High Court Justice Jawad Hassan directed National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to administer oath to Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz by 11:30am on Saturday.
Earlier, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti had passed orders twice.
The first was to President Arif Alvi to nominate anyone for administering oath to Hamza but in vain.
The second time, the LHC chief justice had advised the Punjab governor to ensure the swearingin of Hamza, but the constitutional obligation was not followed.
It was for the third time when the PML-N leader had knocked the LHC doors over not being administered his oath.
This time, the petitioner had requested the LHC to “nominate any person” for the administration of oath at the Punjab Governor House at a specified time and the coercive arm of the State should be set in motion for the implementation of the court orders.