Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader and Punjab chief minister-elect Pervez Elahi has left for Islamabad to take oath from President Dr Arif Alvi in light of the Supreme Court’s order.
Earlier, a three-member bench of the top court, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar, announced its decision on the petition filed by Elahi against Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari’s ruling on the Punjab chief minister’s election, which led to PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz’s victory.
According to the decision, PML-N leader Hamza lost his status as the Punjab chief minister while Elahi, who has PTI’s backing, won the election for the province’s chief executive.
In its short order, the court ordered the Punjab governor to administer the oath to Elahi. It said if the governor refuses to perform his duties, then President Dr Arif Alvi will administer the oath.
A spokesperson of the President House announced that Elahi will take the oath of the Punjab chief minister’s office from President Dr Arif Alvi. He added that the oath will be administered at 2am.
According to a media report, the president had sent a special aircraft to bring Elahi to Islamabad for the oath-taking ceremony.
The script seems to have finally played out. Both set of politicians are now semi-appeased despite having lost everything to establishment. Stage for choosing the next monarch is set. President now asking for it on cue. Both will dutifully sign on the dotted line and will be granted a run at elections while a new script will enfold. Long live the king!