What will happen if Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi does not take vote of confidence?

The political crisis intensified in the province after Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan refused to convene a meeting to take the vote of confidence for Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on the advice of Governor Balighur Rehman.

Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman issued a two-page charge sheet for the vote of confidence, in which it was said that Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had lost the confidence of party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

It was said in the charge sheet, “It is well known that there have been serious differences between the PTI and the PML-Q for the past few weeks. These differences have become clear after the inclusion of Khayal Ahmad Kastro in the provincial cabinet by the Punjab chief minister. Imran Khan announced in public that he had no knowledge about the appointment of the minister and the actions of the chief minister.”

The message issued from the Governor’s House said: “The latest manifestation of the rift within the ruling coalition is the resignation of Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak from the cabinet after a bitter conversation with the chief minister. Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said in a TV interview on December 4 that he will not dissolve the assembly until March next. This statement of the chief minister was against the party policy of the PTI at which two members have resigned.”

It was also said in the charge sheet, “On December 17, Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi criticised Imran Khan for making comments against the former army chief. There is a very small numerical difference between the ruling coalition and the opposition coalition in the Punjab Assembly. As a Governor, I agree that the Punjab chief minister has lost the confidence of the majority of the House. Therefore, under Article 130 (7) of the Constitution, today (Wednesday, December 21) at 4pm, I call for a meeting of the Punjab Assembly, in which the chief minister will take the vote of confidence.”

In response to the two-page charge sheet for the vote of confidence by the Governor of Punjab, the Punjab Assembly speaker also issued a two-page ruling in which he refused to convene the meeting, declaring the process of convening the meeting by the Governor as illegal.

The Punjab Assembly secretariat did not even issue the gazette notification to convene the meeting on the order of the Governor, while the Speaker had postponed the ongoing meeting called by him till last Friday night.

After the political crisis in the province, if the Punjab Assembly meeting is not held today and Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi does not take the vote of confidence, Governor Balighur Rehman can use his powers to remove him from office.

If Governor Balighur Rehman stops the chief minister from working or removes him from office, going to the court is the only option Pervaiz Elahi is left with.

While commenting on the current situation, former Sindh High Court chief justice Shaiq Usmani said that Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman had sent a notice to Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi under a provision of the Constitution.

“The Constitution is supreme in the country. There is no worth of procedure before the Constitution. If Pervaiz Elahi does not prove that the House has confidence in him, he will not remain the Chief Minister of Punjab. After that, Governor Balighur Rehman will convene a meeting and direct to elect a new chief minister,” he added.