The Lahore High Court has reserved its verdict on the maintainability of a petition seeking removal of caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

LHC judge Justice Muhammad Raza Qureshi on Tuesday heard the petition filed by a citizen, Hassan Latif, pertaining to the expiry of the caretaker setup in Punjab.

During hearing, Justice Qureshi inquired of the lawyer if he had submitted a similar petition earlier and then withdrew it. “The result of this petition will also be the same as I had told you on that day,” the judge remarked.

Then he asked the lawyer what date the Supreme Court had given for the polls in Punjab?

The lawyer replied that it is May 14.

Justice Qureshi remarked that the case is sub judice in the Supreme Court, ‘how can we hear this case’. He advised the lawyer to wait for the decision of the apex court.

The counsel for the petitioner said that the whopping Rs35 billion budget of the province will be at the discretion of the Punjab caretaker government.

He argued further that the term of the caretaker setup has expired after 90 days. He said that the Supreme Court extended the date of election but it did not extend the tenure of the caretaker setup.

The judge, however, remarked that the petition is no more effective.

The lawyer requested the court to ask the interim Punjab chief minister, how on earth he is still holding the CM office.

The judge remarked how he could ask when the matter is already in the Supreme Court.

The lawyer said that after the expiry of 90 days, the holding of office by the Punjab caretaker chief minister and his cabinet is a blatant violation of the constitution.

He said all the directives and steps being taken by the interim administration after the expiry of its tenure are illegal.

The Punjab government raised objection over the maintainability of the plea.

Reporter Malik Ashraf