Lahore: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday declared Hamza Shahbaz election as Chief Minister Punjab in Punjab Assembly null and void.
The LHC announced the verdict after accepting all the petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Pakistan and PML-Q against Chief Minister Punjab election in the provincial assembly.
The LHC ordered recounting of the votes of Punjab chief minister’s election excluding the votes of 25 PTI dissidents.
A five-member larger bench of the LHC, headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, and comprising Justice Shahid Jamil, Justice Shehram Sarwar, Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh announced the verdict.
In a split decision, four judges — Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, and comprising Justice Shahid Jamil, Justice Shehram Sarwar— accepted the pleas while Justice Sethi raised some objections. Meanwhile, the court disposed off PML-Q’s pleas.
Mansoor Awan contended the arguments from Hamza Shahbaz, Ali Zafar presented the case as lawyer of the PTI and Amir Saeed appeared as a counsel of the PML-Q
Moreover, Amir Saeed appeared as a counsel of the PML-Q.
On the other hand, Ahmed Owais represented the President Dr Arif Alvi, Barrister Ali Zafar, Imtiaz Siddique represented as counsels of Speaker PA Pervez Elahi.
After the LHC judgement, Hamza Shahbaz is no more remained Chief Minister Punjab.
The LHC had reserved the verdict yesterday after conclusion of arguments on the PTI and PML-Q petitions seeking removal of Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz from his post.
During the course of the hearing yesterday, Justice Shahid Jamil had remarked that Supreme Court (SC) interpretation will applicable in this situation adding that if we reached the result that the SC verdict applicable from the past then we will issue immediate orders.
PTI had filed five separate pleas challenging the conduct of Punjab Assembly on April 16, alongside Hamza’s election.
For several weeks, the issue of the Punjab CM election has been a source of a constitutional crisis.
