LHC expects president to appoint another person for administering oath to Hamza Shehbaz.

LAHORE -- The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday expressed expectation that the President of Pakistan will appoint another person for oath taking of Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz.

The court asked its office to fax the order to the office of President for placing the same before President for appointing another person for oath taking of Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, under Article 104 of the Constitution, after noting that the Punjab governor through Advocate General Punjab had informed about non-administering oath to newly elected Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shehbaz for reasons to be recorded in the letter addressed to the president.

The court also hoped that the President would not wait for the letter of the governor as he did not have any authority to exercise any option expect to ask the newly elected chief minister to assume office by administering oath.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti passed the orders while disposing of a petition, filed by Hamza Shehbaz.

During the proceedings, Advocate General Punjab (AGP) Ahmad Owais appeared before the court at the start of the proceedings.

He submitted that he met the Punjab governor as per court orders who said he wanted to put his objections before the court.

He submitted that besides the Punjab governor, the speaker could also administer oath, but Hamza Shehbaz did not implead him in the petition.

However, the chief justice questioned whether the governor had given any reason for refusal to administer the oath.

The chief justice asked the AGP to contact the governor and ask him why he did not want to administer the oath, while adjourning hearing for a short time period.

Later, as the proceedings resumed, the AGP submitted that the governor considered that the election of the chief minister was not held as per law and Constitution. He argued that the governor was not a rubber stamp or post office. The governor had taken oath and he must act in accordance with the Constitution, the AGP submitted, adding that he wanted to file a detailed reply in the matter.

At this, the chief justice observed that it was an important matter and he should have appeared with complete preparation.

He observed there was no government in Punjab for last 21 days and...

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