PtI cHAlleNGes NAQvI’s APPoINtmeNt As cARetAKeR PuNjAb cm

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

tHEPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday moved Supreme Court (SC) against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to appoint opposition nominee Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab.

The party also filed another petition in the apex court, seeking removal of Raja Riaz as the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly.

The ECP on Jan 22 appointed Mohsin Naqvi as the caretaker Punjab Chief Minister after the parliamentary committee failed to reach a consensus. The petition was filed by PTI Secretary General Asad Umar in the apex court.

The petitioner pleaded with the court to declare Naqvi’s appointment “null and void” and stop him from working as caretaker Punjab chief minister.

The petitioner also challenged the appointment of ECP members Babar Bharwana and Ikramullah in top court.

The matter of the appointment of the caretaker Punjab CM reached the election commission after the parliamentary committee failed to reach a consensus.

The PTI-PML-Q alliance had suggested the names of Naveed Akram Cheema, Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, Nasir Khosa and Naseer Khan as their nominee for the caretaker Punjab CM whereas, the opposition had picked the names of Mohsin Naqvi and Ahad Cheema.

Following the nomination of Naqvi for the slot, Imran Khan slammed the commission and tweeted, “PML-N has history of selecting their own umpires but it’s incredible how ECP has selected a sworn enemy of PTI as Caretaker CM Punjab – a post meant for a non-partisan person.” “Naqvi also made a voluntary return deal with NAB [National Accountability Bureau]. SC [Supreme Court] in suo moto case no 17/2016 declared that in a case of voluntary return a person cannot hold any public office at federal or provincial level nor in any state organisation.”

Raja Riaz’s appointment as NA opposition leader challenged IN another petition, the PTI on Friday approached the Supreme Court for the removal of Raja Riaz as the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly.

The petition stated that Raja Riaz was appointed opposition leader without the consultation of the PTI. He was made the opposition leader in the collusion with

law officers enjoying hefty salaries at Advocate General office

LAHORE Staff RepoRt the incumbent government, bypassing the rules and regulations.

Dissident Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MNA Raja Riaz was appointed as opposition leader in National Assembly with the support of 16 lawmakers in May this year after 125 PTI MNAs resigned from their assembly. MNA Riaz joined the race for the opposition leader’s slot along with GDA MNA Ghous Bakhsh Mahar, following the withdrawal of PML-Q MNA Moonis Elahi. The dissident PTI MNA had submitted an application signed by 17 lawmakers in the National Assembly secretariat for his nomination as the opposition leader. The deputy speaker sought names from the aspiring candidates for the opposition leader and the one who would have the support of the majority of opposition lawmakers would be nominated for the slot.

LHC provisionally reinstates Ahmad Awais as AGP

LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday provisionally reinstated Ahmad Awais as the advocate general Punjab (AGP).

The court suspended the notification for removal of Ahmad Awais and also sought a reply from the Punjab government till January 30.

The single bench comprising Justice Asim Hafeez heard the petition, filed by Ahmad Awais, challenging his removal.

Levies Soldier Martyred In Bolan Terror Attack

BOLAn Staff RepoRt

A soldier of Levies Force was martyred in a terrorist attack in Bolan District of Balochistan on Friday. The terrorists targeted a checkpost of the Levies Force in Bala Nari area of Bolan and opened indiscriminate firing on the personnel deployed there. In the ensuing battle, Levies soldier Khalid Ahmad embraced martyrdom. The terrorists fled from the scene while firing. The latest attack came four days after another Levies Force soldier was martyred and an officer got injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle near the Wali Khan bypass in Mastung district. Armed men had opened fire when the Levies personnel reached at a petrol station near the Wali Khan bypass. In the exchange of fire, one soldier embraced martyrdom and a naib risaldar got injured.

Senior advocates, Hamid Khan and Shafqat Chohan, represented Ahmad Awais before the court and submitted that the caretaker provincial government had removed the applicant.

They argued that the caretaker government had no powers to terminate the law officers. They submitted that the caretaker governments were formed to hold fair and free elections only. They asked the court to set aside the impugned notification regarding removal of their client.

However, a provincial law officer opposed the plea and submitted that the advocate general Punjab was the principal law officer which could remain on his seat till the pleasure of the chief minister. He pleaded with the court to dismiss the petition after declaring it infructuous.

The court, after hearing detailed arguments of the parties, suspended the notification for removal of Ahmad Awais and sought a reply from the provincial government till January 30.

Through a notification, issued on Jan 24, the caretaker government removed AGP Awais and assigned a look-after charge to Additional Advocate General Jawad Yaqoob.