Early PA session keeps Punjab rumour mill churning

LAHORE:

In another twist to the high drama in Punjab’s power echelon, the speaker on Monday brought forward the provincial assembly session by two days – from Jan 11 to Jan 9, causing the political circles to spin up a whirlwind of wild speculation about whether Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi is getting ready to take a vote of confidence.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) in its December 28 order, while reinstating PML-Q leader Elahi, had bound the CM through an undertaking not to dissolve the provincial assembly until the next hearing scheduled for January 11.

“However, this order will not preclude the petitioner from taking a vote of confidence on his own accord,” the order read.

The court order had come after Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman de-notified Elahi as the CM of the largest province in a bid to forestall ousted premier Imran Khan’s plan to dissolve the Punjab Assembly.

However, a majority of lawmakers told The Express Tribune that there were very slim chances of the chief minister going for a trust vote, adding that the session was called to delay the issue and kill any move from the governor’s side to force his way.

Moreover, many lawmakers were found unaware of rescheduling of the assembly session while others termed the move a “test case” for the ruling coalition to show its numerical strength.

Reliable sources seeking anonymity told The Express Tribune that some PTI lawmakers, including one or two women, have been resisting the dissolution of the assembly.

“They have intimated the party’s top leadership in clear terms that if the house takes up the vote of confidence with the single aim of removing the constitutional bar on the chief minister to dissolve the assembly, they will not be part of the move,” the sources added.

The sources said PTI Chairman Imran Khan has already been informed that it would be difficult for the ruling coalition to muster the support of 186 lawmakers in the assembly should a confidence motion be put to vote in the assembly session.

The lawmakers, who do want the assembly to be dissolved, expressed their doubts over the possibility of a sudden vote of confidence through suspending the rules of business of the house “if we do not make [vote of confidence] part of the agenda item”.

They fear the move would be challenged in the high court where the matter of dissolution of the assembly is being heard pending a decision.

Expelling all impressions, there were a few lawmakers who claimed that there might be a possibility of taking a vote of confidence, adding that CM Elahi had the required number in his pocket. However, they seconded that most lawmakers were of the view that assemblies should not be dissolved this time when there was no chance of election.

PA Speaker Sibtain Khan had adjourned the house till January 11 but this time he reschedule it for January 9 at 2pm by issuing a fresh date of summoning the house.

The PTI chairman had announced in a rally in Rawalpindi that his governments in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would be dissolved to pave the way for fresh elections.

Further, the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) announced that it would not give a vote of confidence to Elahi as the Punjab CM.

In a statement released by the party, the MWM Political Council said that it had taken the decision after consultation with its leadership.

According to the party spokesperson, the MWM has expressed "serious concerns over some of Elahi's actions", saying that its member of the Punjab Assembly, Syeda Zahra Naqvi, would not give him a vote of confidence.

The spokesperson added that the decision was taken in light of the instructions given by the party's leadership.