Islamabad/Lahore (TIP): PML-Q leader ChaudhryParvezElahi was sworn in as chief minister of Punjab by Pakistan President early July 27 morning, in a boost to ousted premier Imran Khan whose party approached a top court seeking dismissal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government. Elahi, the 76-year-old leader backed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was sworn in at the directions of the Supreme Court which dealt a big blow to Prime Minister Sharif-led coalition by removing his son as the executive head of the country’s politically crucial province. A three-member bench – comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice IjazulAhsan and Justice MuneebAkhtar – on Tuesday night ruled that Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Elahi will be the new chief minister of Punjab, paving the way for a change in the country’s most populous province and political heartland. Elahi, who lost the election held on Friday despite getting a majority vote, had challenged the ruling of deputy speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari who handed victory to Hamza. Elahi secured 186 votes against 179 votes of PML-N candidate Hamza but lost after Deputy Speaker Mazari rejected 10 votes of his PML-Q lawmakers.

Mazari refused to count the vote after PML-Q chiefChaudhryShujaatHussain through a letter directed his party lawmakers to vote for Hamza, son of Prime Minister Sharif and PML-N president.

The apex court declared Mazari’s controversial decision to reject 10 votes as “illegal”. It ordered Punjab Governor BalighurRehman to administer the oath to Elahi. However, Rehman refused to perform his duties.

Following Rehman’s refusal, Elahi left for Islamabad late Tuesday night where he was sworn in as the chief minister by President ArifAlvi at the Aiwan-e-Sadar in the early hours of Wednesday.

Alvi sent a special aircraft to bring Elahi to Islamabad for the oath-taking ceremony, Geo News reported. (PTI)