Tag: Sibtain Khan

  • ‘Ineffective after removal as CM’: PML-N, PPP withdraw no-trust motion against Elahi

    ‘Ineffective after removal as CM’: PML-N, PPP withdraw no-trust motion against Elahi

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday withdrew the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, terming it unnecessary and ineffective after his de-notification as Chief Minister by the Governor of Punjab.

    PML-N leader Khalil Tahir Sandhu said , “The no-trust move became ineffective as the governor has denotified the CM.” He added that PML-N had withdrawn only the motion against the chief minister, and the ones against Speaker Sibtain Khan and the deputy speaker are still pending.

    On the other hand, Elahi and other MPAs of the PML-N and PML-Q started arriving at the Punjab Assembly on Friday afternoon.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the provincial assembly’s ongoing session will be held today following the speaker’s disposal on Tuesday of the governor’s order for Elahi to obtain a vote of confidence from the house, terming it “against the Constitution and Rules of Procedure”.

    Elahi on Friday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging Governor Balighur Rehman’s de-notification from the chief minister’s office.

    Governor Rehman de-notified Elahi in the late hours of Friday, citing a failure to take the vote of confidence from the provincial assembly as political turmoil in Pakistan’s largest province reached breaking point.

  • PDM may give Punjab CM seat to PPP: report

    PDM may give Punjab CM seat to PPP: report

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) may give the post of Chief Minister of Punjab to Pakistan People’s Pakistan (PPP) as the party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari campaigns in Lahore to get the seat, reports Geo News Urdu.

    According to the media outlet, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat has favoured PPP in this matter.

    In case of consensus, the Punjab Assembly (PA) speaker and deputy speaker candidates would be from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    Zardari has also started considering names for the CM chair, including PPP Punjab parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza, former Premier Yousuf Raza Gillani’s son Ali Haider Gillani and Usman Mehmood.

    However, the final decision will be made jointly by Zardari, Chaudhry Shujaat and Nawaz Sharif.

    The development comes forth as the no-confidence motion against incumbent CM Pervaiz Elahi gains steam. Elahi, however, remains seemingly ahead in numbers in the provincial assembly with the support of 190 Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs).

    Apart from Elahi, a separate no-trust motion was also submitted against PA Speaker Sibtain Khan and Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi.

  • ‘Elahi has lost confidence’: No trust-motion submitted against Punjab CM

    ‘Elahi has lost confidence’: No trust-motion submitted against Punjab CM

    The Opposition in Punjab Assembly (PA) submitted a no-confidence motion against Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the late hours of Monday.

    The magic number required to show majority in the assembly is 186 with Elahi seemingly ahead in numbers. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has the support of 180 members while Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has the backing of its 10 members, taking the government alliance in Punjab to a total of 190 Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs).

    Apart from Elahi, a separate no-trust motion was also submitted against PA Speaker Sibtain Khan and Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi.

    Legally, a submitted resolution would bar the chief minister from dissolving the assembly until the motion is voted upon.

    Immediately, after the submission of the no-trust motion, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman directed the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence from the assembly on December 21 (tomorrow).

    In an order, shared by the PML-N on its Twitter handle, the governor said that the chief minister has “lost the confidence of his party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and members of his own party belonging to the PML-Q.”

    “It is widely known that over the last few weeks serious differences of opinion erupted between two coalition parties of the ruling alliance in the Punjab Assembly i.e. PTI and PML-Q regarding political strategies, dissolution of the assembly, development schemes, and transfers of public officials,” it stated.

    The order also highlighted that the CM had said earlier that he is not going to dissolve the provincial assembly until March 2023 “a position which is completely at odds with the PTI’s public opinion on the issue.”

    The order also referred to CM Elahi’s recent criticism of Imran Khan regarding Khan’s negative comments on ex-Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    On Saturday, Khan announced December 23 as the date for the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies. However, with this new development, a delay may be expected now.

  • After Punjab, KPK assembly also approves motion against ECP chief

    After Punjab, KPK assembly also approves motion against ECP chief

    A day after Punjab Assembly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly on Monday also approved a motion expressing no-trust in Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

    The development was shared by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) official Twitter handle.

    The resolution demanded immediate general elections in the country and called for the ECP members and CEC to step down.

    Punjab Assembly approves motion for ECP chief’s resignation

    On Sunday, the Punjab Assembly (PA) approved a motion today on Sunday calling for CEC Sikandar’s resignation.

    This development came after PTI candidate Sibtain Khan was elected the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly.

    The session of the provincial assembly began with newly-elected PA Speaker Khan administering the oath to his deputy, Wasiq Qayyum.

    Later, PTI Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Syed Abbas Shah presented the motion against Sultan. After the motion was approved, the Assembly was adjourned till August 15.

    PTI Information Secretary Farrukh Habib issued a statement on Saturday and said the party had prepared to file a disqualification reference in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the CEC. He said the CEC met PDM leaders after reserving a judgment in the prohibited funding case.

    “By doing so, the chief election commissioner violated his oath, the code of conduct as well as his constitutional duty,” he added.

    In an address to his supporters, PTI Chairman Imran Khan expressed his complete lack of trust in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and CEC Raja. Khan accused the ECP of supporting former Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Hamza Shehbaz.

  • Punjab Assembly session: Who will be the new Speaker?

    Punjab Assembly session: Who will be the new Speaker?

    The Punjab Assembly (PA) session to elect its new Speaker has started today (Friday). Today’s session will be chaired by Panel of Chairman Wasim Badozai.

    The seat fell vacant when the previous Speaker, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, was sworn in as Punjab Chief Minister (CM) after the Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict in his favour.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) have the majority in the Assembly, and have nominated Sibtain Khan as their joint candidate while the Opposition parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), have nominated Saiful Malook Khokhar as their joint candidate.

    Khan is currently serving as Provincial Minister of Punjab for Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries since 2020.

    Sibtain Khan claimed that the PML-N would “fail to cause any interruption” during the Speaker’s election. He hoped that he would win the contest “effortlessly”.

    PML-N’s Khokhar said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will win. “They [PTI] will know who is better and who is a thief,” he added.