Constitutional crisis: Punjab governor writes letter to army chief

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema has written a letter to the army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa over the current constitutional crisis, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema has sent a letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa to play role in resolving the province’s constitutional crisis.

He stated in his letter that the election of Hamza Shahbaz as the chief minister was an unconstitutional move. He wrote that Hamza Shahbaz has been unconstitutionally imposed on the province for being the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

He sought the army chief to play his role in restoring the public confidence in the national and provincial governments. The governor also sent copies of his letter to the president and prime minister to the army chief.

READ: PUNJAB GOVERNOR DECIDES CONTACTING PRESIDENT, ARMY CHIEF

Earlier, Governor Cheema declared Punjab as the province held hostage by the illegal and fraud chief minister. The governor said that he has apprised the prime minister and the heads of other institutions regarding the situation of the province.

Cheema said in his Twitter message that he has done whatever he could do within his legal and constitutional power. He vowed that he will fight the Sicilian mafia till the last breath.

He said that they will soon end the seizure of government resources and offices from the illegal chief minister.

غیر آئینی اور غیر قانونی جعلساز وزیر اعلی نے ۱۶اپریل سے پنجاب کے صوبے کو یرغمال بنایا ہوا ہے

صورتحال سے میں نے سرکاری طور پر جناب وزیراعظم پاکستان اور دیگر آئینی اداروں کے سربراہان کو مطلع کردیا ہے

لکھ دیا ہے تاکہ سند رہے آئینی و قانونی طور پر جو میرے اختیار میں تھا وہ کیا

— Omar Sarfraz Cheema (@OmarCheemaPTI) May 4, 2022

Earlier, it emerged that Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema had responded to the letter of President Dr Arif Alvi regarding the constitutional crisis in the province over the oath administration of Punjab CM-elect Hamza Shehbaz.

READ: HAMZA SHAHBAZ SWORN IN AS PUNJAB CHIEF MINISTER

The governor had sought an interpretation of the constitutional points after holding consultations with the legal experts regarding the two contradictory orders of the high court given on April 22 and 27.

However, Hamza Shahbaz had administered the oath by National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on LHC order after Punjab Governor Omar Cheema turned down the court’s suggestion and refused to administer the oath.