PTI to approach SC seeking removal of Punjab CM Hamza Shehbaz

Addressing the conference in Lahore, Chaudhry said, "We are going to file a petition tomorrow as Hamza is illegally holding the chief minister's slot. We will seek implementation of the Supreme Court verdict and fresh elections in Punjab."

Chaudhry further said that the SC ruling on the interpretation of the Article 63 (A) ended the disloyalty culture and 25 votes on Shehbaz's side has been also reduced. "The PTI lawmakers will now have 173 numbers while Hamza Shahbaz has 172 votes. Hamza Shahbaz should make a decision by himself now," he was quoted as saying by ARY News.

The PTI leader criticized that Shehbaz is still assuming the chief minister's office, violating his own party's rules to follow the judicial orders. He added that Hamza Shahbaz's orders as the chief minister are illegal.

The former minister also said that the Punjab Assembly Speaker could have opted to issue a notification for Hamza's removal but PTI chose to seek a court order.

He claimed that the president could have asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to get the vote of confidence at any time. He reiterated that fresh elections should be held across the country but only in Punjab and the date of general polls should be fixed for September, reported ARY News.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the SC announced its verdict over the presidential reference on the interpretation of Article 63 (A), announcing that defective votes will not be counted in the parliament.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, had completed proceedings of the case, according to ARY News.

The decision raised serious questions over the legitimacy of the Punjab government and CM Humza Shehbaz, as he was elected with the help of defecting PTI members' votes. (ANI)