CM Punjab election: Pervaiz Elahi summons PA session

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi has summoned a session of the provincial assembly on July 22 in light of the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling on re-election for the Punjab chief minister’s slot, ARY News reported.

The Supreme Court on last Friday ruled that re-election for the Punjab chief minister’s slot will be held on July 22 after the rival parties — PML-N, PML-Q and PTI — reached consensus on the matter.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Jamal Mandokhel issued the order on PTI’s plea.

According to a notification issued by the assembly secretariat, the Punjab Assembly session will be held on July 22 at 4:00 pm.

The top court’s decision came after former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan accepted Hamza Shehbaz as Punjab chief minister until re-election.

Initially, there was a deadlock between Elahi and Hamza over the recounting of votes on CM election.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan last Saturday issued detailed order regarding Chief Minister (CM) Punjab’s election on July 22 and directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to notify members of vacant reserved seats.

The 10-page detailed order from the three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial was written by Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan.

It said that the election for chief minister in Punjab will be held on July 22 at the Punjab Assembly building and the proceedings would be led by the deputy speaker.