PTI decides against holding Punjab CM vote of confidence on Monday

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday decided against holding the vote of confidence of Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on January 9, reported Aaj News.

As per details, the vote of confidence is not on the agenda on Punjab assembly’s meeting scheduled for Monday. Elahi has also previously refused to take the vote, stating that Punjab governor Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman orders regarding it are unconstitutional.

Keeping Elahi’s remarks in view, PTI has called off holding the vote of confidence on Monday.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that the date for the vote should depend on the court’s orders.

Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has to take the vote of confidence to prove that he should remain the chief minister and then be able to advise the governor to dissolve the provincial assembly as per his wishes.

Earlier, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had said that Elahi will take the vote of confidence before January 11, the date when the Lahore High Court is set to resume a hearing on the CM’s petition against the governor’s notification to de-notify him.

Law experts have also asked PTI not to hold the vote as it will make the governor’s ruling “constitutional and valid”. They also said future moves will be decided after the court’s verdict on the case on January 11.

On Friday, Imran Khan said that the military establishment does not appear to be neutral in the matter of the vote.

“Our people are being forced to vote against Parvez Elahi in the vote of confidence. So far, at least three of our Members Provincial Assembly (MPAs) have confirmed being approached by the establishment people,” he said while speaking to the court reporters at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

Imran said that allied parties in Punjab want to complete their number game before the court should ask Elahi to obtain the vote of confidence, and have prepared a strategy in this regard.

Last month, Fawad said that PTI had requisite numbers for the vote of confidence.

He told media in Zaman Park that assemblies would dissolve at any cost because they had 187 members for confidence vote – required numbers are 186.