Pakistan: Former Punjab governor seeks treason trial of Shehbaz Sharif

May 17, 2022

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 17 : Amid the ongoing political crisis in Pakistan's Punjab province, PTI leader and former Punjab governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema has announced that he is approaching the court for a high treason case against Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan's most populous province fell into crisis following the unceremonious removal of its occupant Omar Cheema. No-confidence motions are pending against the Punjab Assembly speaker and deputy speaker.
"Decision to approach the relevant forum/court for action against the Prime Minister under Article 5. The ongoing constitutional and legal crisis in Punjab is due to the Prime Minister and his son violating the constitution and illegal use of force," Cheema tweeted on Monday.
"Three reasons for the ongoing constitutional and legal crisis in Punjab: The office of the Chief Minister was not constitutionally and legally vacant but the court was ordered to hold the election by lying. The evening when the fake Chief Minister was sworn in, the Constitutional Chief Minister was restored and held a Cabinet meeting in the morning," he said in another tweet.
The political crisis is deepening in Punjab as both PTI and PML-N insist that they are on the right side of the law over the chief minister's election, his oath and the removal of the governor, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Both have interpreted the Constitution to suit their narratives, and the superior courts are hearing a case on the CM's election, the report added.
Senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had ill intentions while delimitation of constituencies and claimed that any move in that regard would be illegal.
"All members of the ECP should be sent home," he said while speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court's building.
He slammed Sharif and said that he had completed four foreign visits, but the Pakistani rupee had lost ground against the US dollar.
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