Parvez Elahi refuses to take trust vote

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi Thursday ruled out Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman’s orders for taking a vote of confidence and termed the directions illegal.

In a press conference in Lahore, the chief minister said: “I don’t accept the letter that the governor has written for the vote of confidence. If I take the vote of confidence, then it means that I am accepting the letter.”

The move will likely intensify the political turmoil in Punjab, which came to an end after the Lahore High Court (LHC) reinstated Elahi as the CM following his denotification by the governor.

The court reinstated Elahi on December 23 and adjourned the hearing till January 11. Although, it restricted the CM from dissolving the assembly, the court said its order would not stop Elahi from taking a vote of confidence.

As a result, the leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — an ally of Elahi — claimed that the CM would take the trust vote before January 11, the hearing’s date.

But problems have arisen for the CM after independent lawmaker Syeda Zahra Naqvi said she was an ally of PTI and not Elahi and three members of the PTI were also set to rebel against the party’s decision to back the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMLQ) leader.

“The governor wants me to follow his illegal order, but I will not do it,” the chief minister said, as the ruling coalition in Punjab scrambles to ensure he continues as chief minister.

CM Elahi said the authorities were still investigating the confessional statement of suspected shooter who tried to assassinate PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Wazirabad during the long march in November.

“However, the IGP isn’t present here as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent him to the US,” the chief minister claimed, highlighting that the Centre was creating hurdles for Punjab in investigating the assassination bid.

Meanwhile, talking to the media while visiting the Chaudhry Parvez Elahi Institute of Cardiology, Wazirabad, the Punjab CM said: “I am still following the orders of Imran Khan. A leader like Imran Khan will not be born in Pakistan again. If Usman Buzdar’s government had worked earlier, we would not have seen these days.”

Elahi said the PTI leaders should not give irresponsible statements. “They should fear God and should not be ungrateful. They should at least accept what their leader Imran Khan says.”

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had been exposed.

“We have lifted the ban on recruitment in various departments of Punjab. We will give more than 100,000 jobs in a few months. By the grace of Allah Almighty, our government is strong. Shehbaz Sharif and the PMLN government tried their best to prevent the Wazirabad institute from functioning. The institute will also conduct surgeries of children suffering from heart diseases. All medicines will be provided free of cost in hospitals. As per Imran Khan’s vision, health facilities are being extended to remote areas, a family health clinic will be built in Wazirabad and a trauma centre in Gakhar. People can avail more than 30 services at home through the Go Punjab app.”

On the other hand, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Spokesperson Hafiz Hamdullah has said that whether Parvez Elahi takes the trust vote or not, he won’t remain the Punjab chief minister. He claimed that Imran Khan’s announcement of taking the vote of confidence will remain on paper only and won’t be translated into action.

The PDM spokesperson said that that they were hearing that Imran was trying to meet ‘residents’ of twin cities but their cell numbers was either switched off or busy.