Opposition refuses to accept Punjab Assembly's 'illegal' trust vote proceedings

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Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah speaks to journalists outside the Punjab Assembly in Lahore on January 12, 2023. — YouTube/GeoNews
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah speaks to journalists outside the Punjab Assembly in Lahore on January 12, 2023. — YouTube/GeoNews

  • PML-N refuses to accept CM Elahi's trust vote.
  • Rana Sanaullah says proceedings against constituiton and law.
  • Says governor's order is sub-judice and suspended. 


Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Wednesday night refused to accept the confidence vote's proceedings in the Punjab Assembly, with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah terming them against the Constitution and "illegal". 

The interior minister, speaking to the media outside the PA premises after the opposition boycotted the session, said that the PTI lawyers argued before the court that the governor's order is unconstitutional. 

"So, how did they conduct the confidence vote under Article 130(7) today?" he asked.

"PA Speaker Sibtain Khan earlier said the vote of confidence would not be taken during today's session. However, the agenda was changed at midnight, and a vote of confidence was initiated by deceit."

The vote of confidence proceedings doesn't fulfil the requirements of Punjab Governor Baligh-Ur-Rehman's order under which CM Elahi had to take the trust vote, he noted.

The minister of the interior questioned the timing and legality of the PA proceedings, saying how they can initiate the confidence vote if the governor's order is suspended and sub-judice.

Despite their efforts spanning over last ten to 12 hours, they [the PTI and PML-Q] still do not have complete number for the confidence vote, he said. This is the reason they did not fulfil the requirements of the elections, he emphasised. 

The minister said the PML-N will produce the travel history of the PTI's members before the court to prove that the votes of the absent members were also cast. 

PML-N leader, Atta Tarar, speaking on the occasion, said that the PML-N would prove before the court that the PTI didn't have the required number to win the trust vote. 

Parvez Elahi wins trust vote

Earlier today, CM Elahi won the much-awaited confidence vote Wednesday night, with the opposition boycotting the session in protest  and up the agenda copies.

The confidence vote followed the Lahore High Court order that the governor had the authority to ask the chief minister to seek the trust of the house even during an ongoing session.

The court also had said that the chief minister should have the support of at least 186 lawmakers to win the trust vote.

A total of 186 members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) voted in support of Elahi as the chief minister on a resolution moved by Mian Aslam Iqbal and Raja Basharat.