Cheema to challenge his removal as governor in court

Terms Cabinet Division’s decision unconstitutional

LAHORE:

After consulting with his legal and constitutional team, former Punjab Governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema has decided to challenge the Cabinet Division’s notification of his removal in court.

A petition has already been prepared and is expected to be filed in Islamabad High Court on Thursday (today). Besides legal and constitutional aspects of his removal, the petition also contains contents related to barring the former governor’s entry into the Governor House as the provincial government has erected barricades and deployed police force at all entry points of the official residence of the governor since the issuance of the notification.

Earlier this month, the Cabinet Division had issued notification of Cheema’s removal as Punjab Governor, which was rejected by him while terming it unconstitutional as the President of Pakistan had rejected the Prime Minister’s summary for his removal while considering unusual political circumstances.

Cheema was of the view that after the rejection of the summary by the president of Pakistan, the Cabinet Division had issued an unconstitutional notification of his removal.

Reacting to the apex court decision on presidential reference about the fate of dissident members, Cheema tweeted that he had mentioned that he would bring all lawbreakers under the law. Hamza Shahbaz, who used his father’s power to become chief minister, has to face legal action.

“Both father and son who traded conscience of lawmakers for personal gains will be sent packing and afterwards put behind bars,” he said.

Meanwhile addressing a news conference on Wednesday, PTI Punjab President Shafqat Mahmood said the Supreme Court of Pakistan has decided as per the Constitution.

He highlighted that the assembly business could not be run if its members did not follow the party policy. Now following the apex court’s decision, the parliament has to decide the term of disqualification for dissident members, he added.

He said what happened in the Sindh House was not democracy.

After the apex court’s verdict, the episode of switching loyalties and horse-trading had been ended permanently. Even after the court’s decision, the election commission is deviating. Every citizen of Pakistan knows about turncoats except the election commission, he maintained.

Mahmood said those PTI members who voted for Hamza are “turncoats”. “Free and fair elections are not possible under the current chief election commission. The new election commission should have the confidence of all stakeholders. The government has lost its majority. If the PML-N has a little shame, Hamza should have resigned after the apex court’s verdict. It is trying to make NAB toothless,” he remarked.

He underscored that Omar Sarfraz Cheema is still Punjab Governor as per the constitution.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2022.