Pakistan's Punjab Assembly dissolves; nominations for caretaker CM asked by Jan 17

Lahore: Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly on Saturday evening stood dissolved after Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman refused to sign an advice of Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.

Elahi on the "wish" of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on Thursday had sent the advice to dissolve the assembly. As the governor did not sign the dissolution summary, it stood dissolved 48 hours (Saturday evening) from the time the CM sent it to governor as per the Constitution.

The governor said in a tweet: "I have decided not to become part of the process leading to the dissolution of Punjab Assembly. I would rather let the Constitution and law take its own course. Doing so will not hamper any legal process as the Constitution clearly provides a way forward." The governor also invited CM Elahi and Leader of the Opposition in the PA, Hamza Shahbaz (son of prime minister Shehbaz Sharif), to start the process of the appointment of the caretaker chief minister. He asked them to submit their nominations by January 17.

Elahi, a joint candidate of ousted premier Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and PML-Q, signed the dissolution of the PA summary hours after he managed to obtain a vote of confidence.

Imran Khan said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will also be dissolved in a couple of days. The move is aimed at pushing the PMLN-led federal government to call snap polls. Khan says only fresh polls can steer the country out of economic crisis.

The federal government insists that general elections will be held after the completion of the tenure of the government in August.

Meanwhile, PMLN supreme leader Nawaz Sharif presided over a party meeting in Lahore on Saturday evening through a video link from London where he has been living in a self-exile since November 2019.

"Nawaz Sharif has directed the party leaders and workers to start preparations for elections in Punjab. He also asked PM Shehbaz Sharif to constitute a parliamentary board for award of tickets," PMLN spokesperson and Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said.