ISLAMABAD
President Dr. Arif Alvi has asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to “reconsider his advice about the appointment of new Punjab governor” as former Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema still holds the office. The president referred to the May 9 communication to the prime minister that “the governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the president.” “Referring to President’s Secretariat’s earlier communication, dated May 09, 2022, the President reiterated that “the Governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the President”, as envisaged by Article 101 (2) of the Constitution.
He added that the present circumstances demanded that the incumbent Governor should continue to hold that position,” the statement added.
On May 9, President Alvi rejected the summary sent by the prime minister to remove Cheema. However, he was removed later that night as he ceased to hold the office in light of the advice rendered by the prime minister
for his removal.
The president has also referred to the Punjab governor’s letter in which
he highlighted the change of loyalties during the election of Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz.
“The President also made reference to Governor Punjab’s letter, dated
23rd April 2022, and a Report, dated 4th May 2022, in which it had been
highlighted that the change in loyalties of the members of the Punjab
Assembly, during the election of the Chief Minister of Punjab, and
cobbling of the majority by illegal means had generated serious
governance issues in the province as well as violated the Article 63-A
of the Constitution.”
The president has said that since Cheema still holds the office, “there
is no occasion to propose a new appointment.”
The president said the governor’s “principled” stance was vindicated by
the Supreme Court of Pakistan May 17 verdict, in which the top court
declared the vote cast against the party line by the defecting members
of the national and provincial assembly would not be counted to the
final tally. DNA
