ISLAMABAD: Hamza Shahbaz, a member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, on Saturday took oath as the new chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, Pakistani state media reported, a day after a closely watched election for the coveted post.
Shahbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, managed to retain the coveted slot as the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party challenged his election in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Hours of drama followed the crucial election for the Punjab chief minister, which was held on the directions of Supreme Court of Pakistan after 25 members of the opposition PTI were disqualified for violating party directives by voting for the rival candidate, Shahbaz, in an April election.
“Governor Punjab Baligh Ur Rehman administers oath to Hamza Shehbaz Sharif as the Chief Minister of Punjab,” state-run APP news agency reported.
In Friday’s election, the opposition alliance, comprising former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) parties, bagged 186 votes and the PML-N-led ruling coalition secured 179 votes in the provincial house of 371.
But in a shock move, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain sent a letter to Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari, in which he had directed PML-Q members to vote for Shahbaz, instead of his cousin brother and opposition’s nominee, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
The deputy speaker read out the letter and announced the ten votes cast by PML-Q members had been rejected in light of Hussain’s declaration and the Supreme Court’s ruling. It came as a shock to the PML-Q and Khan’s PTI party, which had defeated the ruling PML-N in Sunday’s by-elections and won 15 out of 20 Punjab Assembly seats. The other five members disqualified by the election commission had been elected on reserved seats for women and minorities.
“I am in shock at what happened in the Punjab Assembly,” Khan said in a video address late Friday.
“All eyes are on the Supreme Court. I am not a lawyer but legal experts told me that it has been clearly stated in Article 63-A that the parliamentary party’s head issues instructions for vote. Chaudhry Shujaat is not parliamentary head; he is the party head.”
According to Article 63-A of the constitution, a parliamentarian can be disqualified on grounds of defection if he or she “votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the parliamentary party to which he belongs, in relation to election of the prime minister or chief minister; or a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; or a money bill or a Constitution (amendment) bill.”
In a unanimous decision in May, ECP members had said the PTI dissidents were being de-seated for defecting from the party under Article 63-A of the constitution. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in its interpretation of Article 63-A, has said votes cast against the party direction “cannot be counted and must be disregarded.”
The former premier urged his supporters to stage peaceful protests against Deputy Speaker Mazari’s ruling, in which he had rejected votes of PML-Q lawmakers.
“I am telling you all today you have to do peaceful protests. Register your protest today so that they know the Pakistani nation is alive,” he said. “Tell them you won’t let these dacoits steal the mandate of the people.”
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a senior PTI member, said his party had filed a petition against the election result in the apex court.
“The Supreme Court has received the petition of Tehreek-e-Insaf, it is being numbered and will be fixed for hearing,” Hussain said on Twitter. “We hope for justice from the Supreme Court.”
Hussain said hearing on the PTI petition would be held Saturday morning.