President Dr Arif Alvi has asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to reconsider his advice regarding the appointment of Governor Punjab as Omar Sarfraz Cheema still holds the office and there is no occasion to propose a new appointment.

Referring to President’s Secretariat’s earlier communication, dated May 09, 2022, the president reiterated that “the Governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the President”, as envisaged by Article 101 (2) of the Constitution.

The president highlighted that the principled stand of the governor had been vindicated by the recent pronouncement of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on May 17, 2022, on Reference No 1 of 2022, moved by him.

He underscored that the stance of the governor Punjab was further augmented by the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on May 20, 2022, declaring the defection and changing loyalties of the 25 Members of Provincial Assembly Punjab (MPAs) in the election of Chief Minister, Punjab as the “worst form of betraying the electorate and party’s policy”.

He said 25 defecting MPAs had ceased to be members of the Punjab Assembly, as per ECP’s decision.

“In view of the above-mentioned facts, the President asked the Prime Minister to reconsider his advice with regard to the appointment of a new Governor Punjab in accordance with Article 48 (1) of the Constitution,” it was added.

He said the present circumstances demanded that the incumbent governor should continue to hold his position, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Saturday.

Earlier this month, PM Shehbaz sent a summary to the president for the removal of Cheema from the office as the incumbent Governor Cheema has been causing problems for the PML-N in Punjab and had triggered a constitutional crisis after he refused to administer the oath to Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shehbaz.