Punjab CM election: ‘Article 6 applies to Dost Mazari’, says Pervez Elahi

LAHORE: Lashing out at Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari for rejecting PML-Q votes during the crucial run of election for the slot of the chief minister, the party’s senior leader and candidate for the top office, Pervez Elahi accused him of violating the Constitution as well as committing the contempt of court.

Talking to media outside the Supreme Court Lahore Registry, Pervez Elahi said, “Article 6 of the Constitution applies to Dost Mazari”.

Pervez Elahi said Mazari once again had called police inside the Punjab Assembly building.

“Police were also called in the assembly on April 16 session, however, this time the court had given instructions that police will not enter the building,” he added.

Speaking about the Punjab deputy speaker’s ruling, the PML-Q leader said that they had won the election as the parliamentary party had nominated him for the CM Punjab poll.

"Deputy speaker says that neither I nor my party can vote for me," he added. Criticising Mazari, the PML-Q leader said, “Even traitors can’t do what he [Deputy speaker PA] has done and no one has ever done such things in history.”

The Opposition parties had approached the apex court, challenging the controversial ruling given by Dost Mazari citing the court's opinion on Article 63A.

After a dramatic day, PML-N's candidate Hamza Shahbaz Friday retained the post of the Punjab chief minister after a three-vote victory against the PTI's candidate.

Dost Mazari rejected 10 votes cast by PML-Q members in favour of Elahi "against the party line."

As a result, Hamza received 179 votes, while Elahi, who was backed by the PTI, managed to bag 176 votes.

However, PML-Q challenged the ruling in the apex court through a petition filed late at night.

Pervez Elahi’s counsel Aamir Saeed Rawn filed the petition in the SC in which Hamza Shahbaz, Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari and the chief secretary have been made parties.