LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Saturday went dissolved automatically after Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligh ur Rahman declined to sign the summary to dissolve it.

The governor said in a statement that he has decided not to become part of the process leading to the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly.

The governor wrote “I would rather let the Constitution and law take its own course. Doing so will not hamper any legal process as Constitution clearly provides a way forward.”

As per the constitution, the Punjab Assembly stood dissolved automatically at 10:12 pm on Saturday night, as Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had sent advice to governor to dissolve the assembly at 10:00 pm on January 12.

After the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, Punjab Chief Minister Elahi and Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz will hold a sitting in the next 72 hours for the nomination of a caretaker Punjab chief minister.

Pervaiz Elahi and Hamza Shehbaz will propose three names each for the post. If both leaders failed to agree upon a single name, the matter will be sent to the parliamentary committee. If the parliamentary committee formed by Speaker Punjab Assembly failed to reach a consensus, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will appoint the caretaker chief minister.

As per the constitution, the caretaker chief minister must be appointed by January 21.

Ch Pervaiz Elahi will remain Punjab CM till the oath-taking of the caretaker chief minister.