IHC summons AGP in Punjab governor’s removal case

The IHC chief justice inquires whether the governor was not a member of parliament

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) for assistance on a petition against the removal of Omar Sarfraz Cheema as Punjab governor.

A larger bench of the IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the plea.

Babar Awan Advocate appeared before the court on behalf of petitioner Cheema and adopted the stance that there were two procedures to remove the governor.

Awan said the first way was that the governor sends his resignation to the president and not to the cabinet while the second method was that the president removes him from the position.

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The IHC chief justice inquired whether the governor was not a member of parliament and if he did not represent the federation.
Awan replied that the governor was an agent of the president in any province who acted to his liking.

“Are you saying that the president runs the province through the governor?” Justice Farooq asked.

The chief justice remarked it would be very strange that the premier sends advice to the president for the appointment of the governor but does not have the power to remove him.

He said it was a constitutional matter on which the AGP would be heard.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till Wednesday (today).