President rejects PM’s summery for removal of Punjab governor

Islamabad: President Dr Arif Alvi has rejected the prime minister’s summery for removing Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema.

Arif Alvi said that the Punjab governor cannot be removed without the approval of the president.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has warned Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and President Dr Arif Alvi of refraining from abrogating the constitution.

Addressing the media on Monday, he said the governor of ‘few-hours’ must leave with civility. “Don’t insult yourself more,” he added. He advised Omar Cheema to refrain from opening any new ‘mess’.

The minister warned that the president and governor should refrain from doing anything that people and history condemn them.

Rana Sanaullah said the advice of the prime minister is binding on the president. Deviation from it will be abrogation of the constitution, he added.

The minister contended that the top court had declared that the president doesn’t hold any inherent or residual powers. He said, “In a parliamentary democracy, the office of the president is symbolic, he has no veto power.”

The minister said that the President House is not the secretariat of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and advised Arif Alvi to follow the constitution and do not become a slave of ex-prime minister Imran Khan.

Notably, Shehbaz Sharif-led government on Saturday nominated Baligh-ur-Rehman as new Punjab governor. A summary for the appointment had been sent to the President Arif Alvi for approval.

Previously, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif had sent two summaries to the president for Cheema’s removal. However, both summaries were turned down by the president.

The governor had triggered a constitutional crisis in Punjab after he was refused to administer the oath to the chief minister Hamza Shehbaz.