Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader Syed Zafar Ali Shah Wednesday challenged the appointment of all four provincial governors in the Supreme Court, terming their appointment during Musharraf regime unconstitutional after passage of 18th Amendment bill from the parliament.
In a constitutional petition, the PML-N leader pleaded before the apex court to remove all four governors at once as their appointments were made under old rules which have been changed since the passage of 18th Amendment. The petitioner sated that appointment of all four provincial governors became unconstitutional after passage of 18th Amendment bill, and prayed the apex to declare their appointments are null and void.
The petitioner contended that president is bound to take advice from prime minister while appointing governors in the light of Article 101 of the constitution, hence the appointment of Musharraf tenure's governors stands no legal ground. He said that in the parliamentary democracy, prime minister's advice is a must in the appointment of governors as it is based on constitutional provisions and after the passage of 18th Amendment bill, it became crystal clear.
The PML-N leader also requested the court to transfer the charge of governors to the speakers of the provincial assemblies through an interim order till these slots are filled following all the constitutional parameters. He also pleaded the court that all the orders issued by the governors after April 20, 2010 - the day when 18th Amendment bill was unanimously passed by the parliament with consensus - may be declared invalid.