Hamza Shahbaz was finally sworn in as the Punjab Chief Minister today at the Governor House, despite Governor Omar Cheema’s last-ditch attempt to defy the court’s order and stop the oath. Hamza Shahbaz was administered the oath by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, as per an order of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
This development took place just a few hours after Punjab Governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema issued a notice rejecting former Punjab CM Usman Buzdar’s resignation, calling it ‘unconstitutional’ and therefore ‘invalid’. The Governor also ‘reinstated’ Usman Buzdar and his cabinet and a symbolic meeting of the cabinet was held at the Punjab Assembly. Buzdar was however not officially reinstated and the bureaucracy appeared to have ignored Governor Cheema’s action.
While the oath-taking ceremony was underway, Cheema, who belongs to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), ‘restored’ Buzdar’s cabinet, which even held a meeting the very same day, while the Governor House was receiving guests for the oath-taking ceremony.
Hamza’s oath-taking began with a recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by a naat. Then, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf administered the oath to Hamza Shahbaz, who was finally sworn in as Punjab Chief Minister. His father, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has held this position three times before, for a cumulative period of almost 11 years.
Meanwhile, Governor Cheema asked the LHC chief justice to take note of the ‘drama of a fake chief minister’s oath’ which was being carried out ‘unconstitutionally’. He said there was ‘ghunda gardi‘ happening at the Governor House.
A statement issued by the Punjab chief secretary reported the assumption of the role of Punjab chief minister by Hamza Shahbaz, and stated that Usman Buzdar had ceased to hold the role of CM.
“Consequent upon assumption of office of chief minister of Punjab by Mr Muhammad Hamza Shahbaz Sharif on 30th April, 2022, Mr Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar, chief minister of Punjab under provision of Article 133 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, has ceased to hold office with immediate effect,” the statement said.
Governor Cheema on Twitter rejected the statement, calling it ‘fake’.
میں بطور گورنر کسی غیر آئینی جعلی وزیراعلی کی تقرری کے نوٹیفیکیشن کی اجازت نہیں دے رہا
جیسے بدمعاشی اور جعلسازی سے حلف کا ڈرامہ رچایا اب اس کا جعلی نوٹیفکیشن تیار کرنے کی کوشش کی گئی ہے
— Omar Sarfraz Cheema (@OmarCheemaPTI) April 30, 2022
Since Hamza was elected as Punjab CM on April 16, Gov Cheema has tried to delay his oath-taking, terming his election invalid and unconstitutional, a claim that has been supported by Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi, who was also a contender for the role of Punjab chief minister.
