PTI MPA’s file plea against LHC verdict directing Hamza oath-taking completion

Lawmakers ask for ruling to be set aside as it is ‘illegal, unlawful, whimsical’ and ‘violates’ constitution

Seventeen Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members of Provincial Assembly Punjab on Thursday filed an intra-court appeal against the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict directing the Punjab governor to complete the oath-taking process of chief minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz by April 28 (today).

Yesterday, LHC Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti had ruled that Hamza’s oath was being hindered on “one pretext or the other”. The court had called on Punjab Governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema to ensure that oath of Punjab chief minister was administered, ‘either through himself or his nominee on or before April 28’.

In their petition, the PTI lawmakers contended that the high court had disregarded the chaos that took place in the assembly on April 16 and conducted judicial proceedings “with utterance comprising rude remarks against the constitutional officers such as the governor of Punjab and the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan”.

“The haste and the procedure manifest an absence of justice, particularly, in a matter which must be heard by a larger bench comprising not less than seven judges of this honorable court, hence, this instant appeal,” the appeal stated.

The petition argued that the president had the authority to act in his discretion in respect to any matter that he had been empowered with via the constitution.

Subsequently, the PTI MPAs asked that the LHC order be discarded, “being illegal, unlawful, whimsical as well as beyond the facts of the case and a clear violation of Articles 48, 133, 248 and 255 of the constitution in the interest of justice, equity and fairplay”.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and assailed the PTI government in Punjab for delaying Hamza’s oath-taking ceremony on purpose.

“Despite the clear orders of the court, the swearing-in of Hamza Shahbaz is being arrogantly prevented,” she said. “Making fun of the Constitution, law, and courts with such unmitigated effrontery cannot be the work of a normal human being.”