Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ruled against the deviation of members of the Assembly from the party line by a majority decision.
In the light of the decision of the Supreme Court, the province whose members will be most affected is Punjab. In Punjab province itself, members deviated from the party policy and voted for PML-N candidate Hamza Shahbaz.
In Punjab, about 25 PTI members voted for Hamza Shahbaz in the CM election. So the question now is where does the government of Hamza Shahbaz stand after this decision?
Talking to Urdu News, former Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Anwar-ul-Haq said, “After this decision, the Punjab government has come to an end because when you took away the right to vote from the members and said that you have to vote. Can’t or your vote can’t be counted.
This clearly means that if the government in Punjab is made up of dissident PTI members, their votes will not be counted. At least that’s what the Supreme Court’s decision has revealed so far.
He said that he personally did not consider this decision as correct as it has given the impression of amending the constitution. The constitution does not bar anyone from voting.
On the other hand, PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar has said that Punjab is still ruled by Hamza Shahbaz and after the written decision of the Supreme Court, a plan of action will be worked out in this regard in consultation with the lawyers.
In this regard, the coalition parties have also met in Islamabad to look into the matter from all angles.
Speaking to Urdu News, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Ahsan Bhoon said, “This is a very tough decision in which fundamental rights have been abolished.”
“I do not understand whether the Supreme Court can issue a decision or an interpretation which is not in itself constitutional. How can the court take back the vote when the constitution allows it?
“The second biggest contradiction is in the decision that when you stop voting, then what is the punishment for disqualification on the vote that was not cast,” he said.
Talking about the Supreme Court decision, Barrister Ahmed Pansota said, “After this decision, the government of Hamza Shahbaz has lost its majority in Punjab.”
“If they do not relinquish power themselves, then under the procedure laid down in the constitution, when they are asked to take a vote of confidence, their government will automatically end if they do not prove a majority.”
Interestingly, the seat of the Governor is vacant in the province for convening a meeting of the Assembly while the Speaker Punjab Assembly has refused to take up the post of Acting Governor.
According to constitutional experts, the process of getting the vote of confidence of Hamza Shahbaz again has become as complicated as the election of Hamza Shahbaz before him, his oath and then the formation of his cabinet.
It may be recalled that the support of 186 members is required for the election of Leader of the House in the Punjab Assembly while PML-N and PPP have a total of 172 members.