The Counter Move

Punjab governor says the PDM will use all legal means to prevent dissolution of the assembly

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman has stated that if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) insists on dissolving the Punjab Assembly, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its allied parties at the Center will use all legal means to prevent such a move.

The governor told a delegation of foreign media journalists that all options were on the table because the PML-N and its allies wanted the National Assembly to finish its five-year term.

According to the law, the Chief Minister of Punjab can send a summary to the governor requesting that the assembly be dissolved, and the governor has 48 hours to make a decision.

“We have completed our homework. If Imran Khan insists on the plan, I may ask Parvez Elahi to seek a vote of confidence from the House, and the PML-N may also bring a no-confidence motion against the chief minister,” Rehman stated.

When asked if Parvez Elahi would run for CM again as a candidate of the PML-N and its allies, the governor said that he couldn’t comment on recent meetings on the subject.

“I recently had a detailed meeting with Parvez Elahi, and we talked about a lot of things. A lot can happen in the coming days as his party uses all of its options wisely,” he maintained.

In response to a question, Rehman stated that backchannel talks between the federal government and the PTI were taking place through President Arif Alvi.

“I would not comment on discussions taking place behind closed doors, but I can say that backdoor talks with the PTI are ongoing,” he added.

Governor Punjab said that PTI chairman Imran Khan’s track record indicated that he would not proceed with the dissolution of the assembly and would make a U-turn this time as well.

Responding to a question, the governor stated that the PML-N was always ready to run in elections but that more time was needed to stabilise the dwindling economy.

“We have no qualms about going to the polls, but our only priority is to get the country’s economy back on track, as the PTI wreaked havoc on it during its tenure,” he noted.

He claimed that the PTI’s narrative of conspiracy theories behind Imran Khan’s ouster has died down because no one believes such claims any longer.

According to Rehman, the PTI’s performance in Punjab was so bad that even the current Chief Minister, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, admitted that the era of former Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was the worst in recent memory.

Commenting on the return of PML-N chief and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from London, the governor said, “Our leader would return after he fully recovers from the health issues.”

“Some medical procedures must be completed, and Mian Nawaz Sharif will return home as soon as he feels fit and healthy,” he added.

He said Pakistan wanted good relations with its neighbours, including India, but restoring trade ties would be purely the decision of the federal government.

The Punjab governor also stated that there was no prohibition on requesting a vote of confidence from the CM or submitting a no-confidence motion against him while the Assembly session was in session.