Pakistan: Lahore Court begins hearing Parvez Elahi's petition against Punjab Governor's de-notification order

PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi today filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman's orders denotifying him as the province's chief minister. In the petition, Elahi termed Balighur Rehman's decision "unconstitutional, unlawful and no legal effect," as per the news report.

Parvez Elahi's decision comes after Punjab Governor denotified him as Punjab's Chief Minister in order on Thursday to prevent ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's plan to dissolve the Punjab Assembly (PA).

In his order on December 22, Balighur Rehman stated that Chief Minister had avoided taking a vote of confidence at the appointed day and time, he ceased to hold the office. Balighur Rehman called on Chaudhry Parvez Elahi to continue serving as Chief Minister until his successor take charge.

Rehman's decision came as former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan last week announced that he would dissolve the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 23.

According to Dawn, the petition filed by Elahi mentioned the name of Punjab governor through his principal secretary, the government of Punjab through its chief secretary and the Punjab Assembly speaker as respondents.

Barrister Ali Zafar and Advocate Amir Saeed have presented the application. In the application, it is said that Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman issued an order summoning a Punjab Assembly session and calling on the CM to seek a vote of confidence from the house.

"In response to the order, the PA speaker gave a ruling declaring the summoning of the session to be unconstitutional and adjourned the ongoing session till Dec 22," according to Dawn. As per the petition, the Governor's two orders regarding the vote of confidence and the de-notification were passed "without lawful authority" and had "no legal effect."

According to the petition, the governor's order of summoning a Punjab Assembly session was illegal under the Constitution and rules of procedure of the provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1997.

The petitioners have requested the court that the Punjab governor's orders issued on December 19 and December 22 should be declared to be passed without any lawful authority and no legal effect.

"It is further prayed that it may kindly be declared that the summoning of the session of the Punjab Assembly by the governor during an already ongoing session is unconstitutional, unlawful and of no legal effect," the petition requested as per Dawn.

"It is further prayed that it may kindly be declared that the Petitioner does not cease to hold his office of Chief Minister Punjab," it stated, adding that the dissolution of the provincial cabinet should also be declared unlawful," the petition said as per the news report. (ANI)