People's mandate respected, says Shah Mehmood Qureshi on SC's verdict

LAHORE: Former foreign minister and PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has hailed the Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict to instate PTI’s candidate Pervaiz Elahi as Punjab chief minister (CM), saying that today the people’s mandate has been respected.

Talking to journalists outside the Supreme Court, the former federal minister said that today, the Constitution’s rule has been accepted and the Pakistani people’s mandate has been respected.

“On July 17, the people of Pakistan accepted Imran Khan’s narrative wholeheartedly and rejected the imported government,” Shah Mehmood Qureshi added.

Talking about the CM Punjab election, Qureshi said that Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari trampled the Constitution of Pakistan and did not follow the principles.

The PTI leader further said that the judiciary tolerated the criticism with patience and fulfilled its responsibility. “The coalition government tried to employ delaying tactics to intimidate the judiciary,” he added.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi also said that the decision has proved that Pakistan’s judiciary is independent. “Judiciary is independent and determined to protect the Constitution,” he said, adding that after this decision, Pakistani politics will take a new direction.

Taking over the presser, PTI’s Senator Faisal Javed termed the decision as Imran Khan’s victory and said that the decision was according to the law and Constitution, adding that the party wants the general elections to be announced immediately.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court today declared Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling in the Punjab Chief Minister election “illegal” and ruled that Pervez Elahi will be the new CM of the province.

The apex court ordered the Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman to administer the oat to Elahi at 11:30pm. The SC also nullified all appointments made by ‘trustee CM’ Hamza Shahbaz.