Punjab machinations will extend political turmoil in Pakistan
- In Reports
- 11:31 PM, Jul 23, 2022
- Myind Staff
Hamza Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Saturday took oath as the chief minister of Punjab province, a day after he was re-elected to the post by just three votes amidst high drama that sparked protests in the country and prompted the rival candidate to move the Supreme Court. In a shocking win, on Friday, Hamza was re-elected to the post by just three votes amid high drama when deputy speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari rejected 10 crucial votes of his rival candidate.
The run-off election for the Punjab chief minister was conducted in the Punjab Assembly in line with the instructions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Hamza was declared the winner in the election though his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party did not have a majority in the Assembly after key by-elections were held on July 17.
Hamza managed to retain the post of Punjab province CM by the barest of margins after Mazari rejected 10 votes of his rival candidate Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s party Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) citing Article 63-A of the Constitution.
In a statement, Mazari said 10 lawmakers from the PML headed by Shujaat Hussain, a Khan ally, had violated regulations by voting contrary to demands from Hussain, who had allegedly asked them to abstain from voting. Under Pakistani law, votes are disqualified if lawmakers vote contrary to their party’s instructions.
In the 368-member Punjab Assembly, Hamza’s party PML-N received 179 votes, while Elahi’s party garnered 176 votes.
Following Mazari's decision to disregard the 10 votes of PML-Q members - a move that allowed Hamza to retain his post as the chief minister of Punjab - PTI said that it would approach the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.
Elahi said he would challenge this decision in the Supreme Court as the deputy speaker violated the court’s order.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chairman Khan had warned that if the state machinery is used to steal the public mandate, it will lead the country to a Sri Lanka-like situation.
“If the state machinery is used to steal the public mandate, the reaction of the masses will lead Pakistan to a Sri Lanka-like situation? I will not be able to control people in such a scenario," Khan said.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz said what her party did on Friday was a tit-for-tat response to Khan’s party.
"PML-N has not forgotten the treatment meted out to them. Now the rules of the game will be the same for everyone, else PML-N knows how to play it better," Nawaz said in a tweet.
Soon, "surprised" by Hamza's victory, Imran Khan called for protests on Friday night. "I am in shock at what happened in the Punjab Assembly. I always believe that God would take our democracy to a level where it is in the west,” he said.
"I am telling the nation today. You have to do a peaceful protest. Until and unless you do that, nothing will happen. Register your protest. You have to tell that we are humans, and not sheep. Register your protest today so that they know the Pakistani nation is alive," Khan said.
A massive protest erupted in Karachi's Shahrah-e-Faisal as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters took to the streets to demonstrate their frustration.
Meanwhile, PTI and PML-Q reached the Supreme Court registry in Lahore late at night and submitted a petition against the CM Punjab election.
Image source: ANI
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