ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Wednesday declined a petition to hold early election for the position of Punjab chief minister while ruling that the process would take place on April 16 as originally planned.
The Punjab chief minister’s post fell vacant after Sardar Usman Buzdar stepped down while the country’s former prime minister Imran Khan was still facing a no-confidence resolution against him.
Subsequently, Khan nominated Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, his coalition partner from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), as his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s candidate.
The other contender for the CM’s post is Hamza Shehbaz Sharif who was “elected” by 199 provincial legislators at a symbolic session of the Punjab Assembly at a private hotel in Lahore last week.
Sharif had also filed a petition in the Lahore High Court for early election for the chief minister’s position since his party believed the process was being deliberately delayed.
“The prayer of the petitioner ... to shorten the date of Session, which is already fixed by the Deputy Speaker for 16.04.2022 to elect the Chief Minister is hereby declined,” said the court in its ruling.
The IHC verdict noted that the respondents’ counsels, including the advocate general of the province, did not display any reservation toward the idea of holding the chief minister’s election.
It ordered the deputy speaker of the Punjab assembly and other relevant authorities, including the provincial administration, to “act impartially, justly and fairly to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution.”
The court also instructed that no one must “hinder, obstruct or interfere” with any provincial assembly member who desired to participate in the session.
“The Secretary, Provincial Assembly is further directed to ensure the completion of renovation work of the Provincial Assembly before 11:00 p.m. of 15.04.2022 and should be made available for its use for the honorable members of the Provincial Assembly on 16.04.2022 in respectable manner,” the high court added.
The Punjab Assembly has 371 members. Any candidate wishing to be the next chief minister will have to secure at least 186 votes in the election.
While Hamza Shehbaz’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party has 165 seats in the provincial assembly, he claims to have the support of requisite number of lawmakers belonging to other political factions.
The PTI and PML-Q have 183 and 10 seats in the provincial legislature, respectively, though their dissident lawmakers may decide to favor Sharif during the electoral contest.
Lahore High Court rules elections for new Punjab chief minister be held April 16
https://arab.news/52w5a
Lahore High Court rules elections for new Punjab chief minister be held April 16
- The court dismissed Hamza Shehbaz’s petition seeking early election for the vacant post
- The winning candidate for CM’s post will have to secure 186 votes in the 371-member house
Pakistan alarmed as Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifies, calls for immediate ceasefire
- Pakistan envoy urges both sides to resolve ongoing conflict through peaceful means during Security Council briefing
- Russia last Friday fired hypersonic ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warhead at Ukraine, drawing criticism
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Iftikhar Ahmad this week expressed alarm as the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifies, calling for an immediate ceasefire and demanding both countries resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue.
The development takes place days after Russia last week fired an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile at Ukraine called Oreshnik. The move drew sharp criticism as the missile is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads. Russia said it fired the Oreshnik in response to what Moscow says was an attempted Ukrainian drone attack on Dec. 29 against one of Putin’s residences in northern Russia. Ukraine denies Moscow’s claims.
February 2026 will mark four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, triggering the worst armed conflict in Europe since World War II. The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes.
“We are alarmed by the recent intensification in fighting with escalation in attacks from both sides, further worsening the already dire humanitarian situation,” Ahmad said on Monday during a UN Security Council briefing on the Ukraine conflict.
“Such actions not only perpetuate the conflict, but they also undermine trust, and the ongoing efforts for peace.”
The Pakistani envoy urged both sides to abide by the principles of international law and ensure civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected during the conflict. He said Pakistan’s position on resolving the issue through dialogue has not changed.
“Now, more than ever before, the overwhelming global opinion is on the side of ending this conflict through peaceful means,” Ahmad said. “This can only be achieved through a sustained, meaningful and structured dialogue.”
US President Donald Trump has been pushing both sides to strike a deal to halt the conflict, running shuttle diplomacy between Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s Vladimir Putin in a bid to get an agreement across the line. Plans to broker peace collapsed after an initial 28-point plan, which largely adhered to Moscow’s demands, was criticized by Kyiv and Europe.
Ahmad appreciated the US for attempting to resolve the conflict through peaceful means.
“We hope that all sides would make full use of the ongoing diplomacy, demonstrate genuine political will, and engage constructively to make meaningful strides toward a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the conflict, starting with an immediate ceasefire,” he said.
