The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered Punjab Governor Omar Safraz Cheema to administer the oath of office to CM-elect Hamza Shehbaz or appoint a representative for the swearing in by tomorrow (Thursday).

The high court issued a short order of the case which had been reserved earlier. The case was filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Hamza as he was facing continuous delays in his oath of the Punjab chief minister office.

In the short order, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti stated that oath of the CM-elect Hamza "is being delayed on one pretext or the other, which is not only against democratic norms but also against the scheme of the Constitution."

The order noted the Constitution suggested prompt formation of the government in provinces and the Centre. For which "expeditious" administration of oath either by president or by governor or their nominee is mandatory.

The order also mentioned that Punjab was being operated without the functional government for the last 25 days since the former chief minister Usman Buzdar's resignation was accepted.

Justice Bhatti advised that the governor shall ensure the completion of the process of administration of CM-elect's oath of the office, either himself or through his nominee on or before April 28 (Thursday).

The high court also suggested the president to play his role mandated by the Constitution, ensuring a functional government in Punjab.

“Don’t stain history,” said CM-elect Hamza in an informal talk to media, urging the president and the governor to consider the situation in Punjab which has been without a chief executive since Usman Buzdar's resignation nearly a month ago.

PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar, speaking to reporters outside LHC earlier today, said President Alvi's refusal to comply with the high court’s orders related to CM-elect Hamza’s oath of the chief minister’s office and proved that he “is loyal to a party [the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] instead of the Constitution and State.”

On April 16, Hamza was elected the chief minister as the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers boycotted proceedings in the controversial Punjab Assembly session that was marked by violence and delays.

However, the PML-N leader's oath to the office faced multiple delays by the Punjab governor despite the high court orders, with the latest one on Saturday when the hurriedly planned oath-taking ceremony did not take place with Cheema citing ill-health issues to skip the ceremony.

The same day Cheema was admitted in Services Hospital Lahore as his health deteriorated suddenly. However, he has been discharged from the hospital on Wednesday (today).

Also, Cheema wrote a letter to President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday, stating reasons for not administering the oath to CM-elect Hamza Shehbaz. He wrote the process for conducting chief minister-elect Hamza's election was "unconstitutional" and lacking "legal sanctity" which "abstains" him to administer the oath to Hamza.