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.
Court rules Punjab CM-elect to be sworn in by Thursday
https://arab.news/4bd2h
Court rules Punjab CM-elect to be sworn in by Thursday
- Lahore High Court directs governor to administer oath or appoint someone else to do so
- Hamza Shehbaz was elected Punjab’s chief minister on April 16
Pakistan parliament calls for national response against ‘external sponsors’ of terror after Balochistan attacks
- Militants killed 50 people, including 17 law enforcers, in coordinated attacks across Balochistan last week
- Resolution follows government accusations that India backed the assaults, a charge New Delhi denies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution condemning a wave of militant attacks in the southwestern province of Balochistan and called for an immediate, coordinated national response against what it described as “external sponsors” of terrorism.
The resolution came days after separatist militants carried out coordinated gun and bomb attacks across multiple districts in Balochistan, targeting security installations and government facilities, in one of the deadliest flare-ups of violence in the province in recent months.
Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudry said the attacks on Friday and Saturday killed 50 people, including 33 civilians and 17 law enforcement personnel. State media reported on Monday that security forces had killed 177 militants since the assaults began.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said last week that the attacks, claimed by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), were planned from India. New Delhi rejected the allegation as “baseless,” saying Islamabad was attempting to deflect attention from its internal challenges. Pakistan has long accused India of backing militant groups in Balochistan and the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, charges India has consistently denied.
The parliamentary resolution, tabled by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, said evidence from several militant incidents had highlighted “external patronage” of armed groups and raised “serious concerns, particularly regarding the role of India.”
“This house demands that an immediate, comprehensive, coordinated and multi-dimensional national response be ensured against these external sponsors and internal facilitators, including funding, smuggling, and propaganda networks, bringing together the political, diplomatic, military, intelligence, legal and narrative fronts,” the resolution stated, according to a copy seen by Arab News.
It said terrorism in Pakistan was being facilitated through logistical and operational support, financial assistance, training, medical treatment, and propaganda networks originating from certain neighboring countries.
The resolution expressed solidarity with victims and their families and praised Pakistan’s security forces for what it described as effective action against militants. It also voiced concern over militant networks increasingly involving women in attacks.
“This house expresses profound grief, sorrow, and concern over the fact that terrorist networks are attempting to exploit women and use them against the state and society through coercion, psychological pressure and blackmail,” it said.
Lawmakers called for national unity and urged political forces to rise above differences, vowing that the state would not compromise on the protection of its citizens or national security.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land area, has long faced a separatist insurgency that has intensified in recent years. Militants frequently target security forces, government officials, infrastructure projects, foreigners, and non-local workers.
The province holds vast reserves of minerals and hydrocarbons and is central to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Separatist groups such as the BLA accuse Islamabad of exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources while denying locals a fair share. Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership reject the claim and say they are investing in the province’s development.
Balochistan is home to vast reserves of minerals and hydrocarbons, and also to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Separatist militant groups such as the BLA blame Islamabad for exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources and denying locals a share in them. The military and civilian government reject these allegations and say they are investing in the province’s development.










