Court rules Punjab CM-elect to be sworn in by Thursday

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Wednesday ordered the Punjab governor to administer the oath of office to chief minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz by tomorrow, Thursday, or appoint a representative who would do the same.
Shehbaz was elected chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on April 16. The voting process was marred by scuffles between lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).
However, Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema refused to administer the oath of office to Shehbaz, saying that the chief minister’s election had become controversial hence he couldn’t take any “unconstitutional” decision.
As the governor’s move— widely seen as a delaying tactic by political analysts— created a crisis in Punjab, Shehbaz moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the governor’s decision. On Tuesday, the LHC reserved its verdict in the case.
On Wednesday morning, the LHC directed the Punjab governor to either administer oath to Shehbaz by tomorrow, Thursday, or appoint a representative who would do so.
“Punjab has been without a chief minister, a cabinet and a government for the past 25-26 days,” said PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar, speaking to media after the decision was announced.
He blamed PTI chairman Imran Khan for delaying Shehbaz’s oath taking.
“Now that the governor has been directed to administer oath [to Shehbaz] by tomorrow, April 28, I believe the governor and the president both do not have any way out or any option left,” he said.