After the Supreme Court rejected the ruling of Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari in the election of the Chief Minister of Punjab and declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the new Chief Minister, the leader of the Muslim League (Q) last night sworn in as the Chief Minister of Punjab.
According to the report , the 3-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Umar Attabandial, comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, delivered a safe decision, which was awaited by political observers, media and all parties involved in the case.
In the decision, the Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly declared null and void the ruling of rejecting 10 votes of Muslim League (Q) and said that Pervaiz Elahi is the Chief Minister of Punjab and the Chief Secretary should issue a notification for the appointment of Pervaiz Elahi as the Chief Minister.
The Supreme Court said in the verdict that the cabinet formed by Hamza Shahbaz has been dissolved and Pervaiz Elahi should take oath at 11:30 pm.
In the decision, it was directed that a copy of the court decision should be sent to the Governor of Punjab, if the Governor refuses to take the oath, then the President should take the oath.
Later, after being excused from taking the oath by Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman, Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, Musa Elahi, Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, Zain Qureshi and Murad Ras arrived in Islamabad where President Dr. Arif Alvi nominated him to the Presidency. He took oath from Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi.
The Supreme Court further said in the judgment that all the advisers and assistants appointed by Hamza Shahbaz are also ordered to be dismissed.
Earlier, PTI and Muslim League (Q) supporters and lawyers surrounded courtroom number one to congratulate Monis Elahi, son of petitioner Pervaiz Elahi, when the summary judgment was pronounced by Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial.
On this occasion, senior PTI leaders including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry were also accompanied by Munis Elahi.
Immediately after the verdict was delivered, many supporters inside the premises including an enthusiastic crowd holding PTI flags outside the Supreme Court cheered and shouted slogans.
Despite a heavy police presence blocking the roads leading to the Supreme Court building, a large number of supporters managed to reach the venue and those who could not, started celebrating at various points along the way.
It should be noted that Parvaiz Elahi was represented by Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, Imtiaz Rasheed Siddiqui and Faisal Fareed in the hearing of the case, while Irfan Qadir appeared on behalf of the Deputy Speaker, Mansoor Usman Awan on behalf of Hamza Shahbaz, Farooq H. Naik appeared on behalf of the PPP and Salahuddin Ahmed Chaudhry appeared on behalf of Ch. Shujaat Hussain.