Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader and Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and PML-Q Secretary General Kamil Ali Agha on Thursday filed two intra-court appeals in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the court’s yesterday’s verdict in which it had restored PA Deputy Speaker Sardar Daust Muhammad Mazari’s powers, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

In his appeal, filed through Imtiaz Siddiqui Advocate, Chaudhry Pervaiz made the deputy speaker, assembly secretary, inspector general of Police (IGP), Punjab and chief secretary respondents, and argued that the LHC Chief Justice (CJ) had not applied the relevant law while restoring the powers of the deputy speaker. “The CJ gave the decision by ignoring the assembly rules and the constitution,” read the appeal. 

Chaudhry Pervaiz went on to add that in this situation, authorizing Deputy Speaker Daust Muhammad Mazari to supervise the election for Punjab CM would be against the law. 

Furthermore, the petition read, the petition filed by the deputy speaker in the LHC was inadmissible for the hearing from the word ‘go’. 

It was stated in the petition that the assembly’s proceedings could not be challenged in a court of law.  “Therefore, the verdict given by LHC’s single bench be declared illegal, unconstitutional and null and void. The CJ’s decision be suspended until the court gives its decision on this petition,” the appeal concluded.  

The LHC had yesterday (Wednesday, April 13, 2022) rejected a plea filed by Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz to convene the Punjab Assembly session to elect a new chief minister early. 

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti in a short decision ordered to hold the Punjab Assembly session on April 16 as was convened by the deputy speaker early.

PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz — a contender for the CM's post — had filed a plea in the LHC for holding early elections, while Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari had moved the court for the revocation of his powers.

Rejecting Hamza's plea, LHC CJ Bhatti asked the deputy speaker to hold the polls on April 16 and ordered all parties to perform their roles impartially.

The top judge of the LHC said all the personnel of the Punjab Assembly will work to ensure the election takes place on time, while the repair works should be completed before 11 am on the polling day.

The CM's office has been vacant for nearly two weeks since ex-governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar — who was removed from his position last week — accepted Usman Buzdar's resignation on April 1.       

Reporter: Malik Ashraf