ISLAMABAD: Former Punjab governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema on Thursday moved Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his removal by the federal government against the will of the president.
The federal government notified in a mid-night announcement on April 10 that Cheema ceased to hold office on the advice of the prime minister sent to the president on April 17 and reinforced on May 1.
Arif Alvi twice rejected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice to remove the governor — dampening the hopes of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that the office will be vacated in a day or two.
Alvi rejected the prime minister’s summary using Article 101(3), which says the governor shall hold the office “during the pleasure” of the president (for as long as the president pleases).
The petition, submitted to the IHC, says Cheema’s sacking is illegal and Sharif made the move to benefit his son and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz.
The plea also asks the court to take action against those in the Cabinet Division who issued the notification which he said violated the Constitution.
However, the registrar’s office at the court raised objection to the petition saying the matter comes under the jurisdiction of the Lahore High Court (LHC) therefore, the plea is not maintainable.
The move comes as the country’s most populous province is without a governor for over a week now and oath-taking of the provincial cabinet is experiencing delays after the Punjab Assembly speaker refused to take oath as acting governor.
