ISLAMABAD: Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) party, was sworn in as the chief minister of Punjab early on Tuesday, ending political uncertainty which dominated the three-month stint of his predecessor Hamza Shehbaz, the vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath of office to Elahi, speaker of the Punjab Assembly until Monday, in a late-night ceremony after Punjab Governor Baligh ur-Rehman, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart, refused to do so in violation of the Supreme Court order.
The swearing-in was held at the presidency at 2:00 am and attended by the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which along with the PML-Q jointly fielded Elahi for the office, and PML-Q.
President Dr Arif Alvi administering oath to Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi as Chief Minister Punjab, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad on July 27, 2022. pic.twitter.com/E8b9IRLCSm
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) July 26, 2022
According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, Elahi flew from Lahore to Islamabad for the ceremony after the apex court asked the president to administer the oath in case the governor was “unable or unwilling” to perform the job.
The swearing-in was held hours after the court ruled to hand control of the nation’s most populous province to Elahi.
The move ramps up pressure on the federal government, made up of a coalition of parties that ousted Imran Khan, PTI chair, from the premiership in April.
In a short order, the Supreme Court ruled that Elahi had been wrongfully denied victory in the vote last week, and ordered he be installed as the province’s premier before midnight on Tuesday.
Elahi had been denied victory by the deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Dost Muhammad Mazari, who disregarded votes cast in his favour on the basis of them being against the party line and handed victory to Shehbaz.
The court overturned the deputy speaker’s decision.
The development gives Khan’s campaign for fresh elections a shot in the arm. He has been holding protests across the country for snap general elections, which are not due until late next year.
— With Reuters
