GUJRAT: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi rejected on Thursday the senior ruling coalition partner’s demand to take a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly.

“Since I do not consider the governor’s order (seeking trust vote) as legal and legitimate, I will not go for it since it will legalise an illegal move,” he told media during his visit to the Chaudhry Parvez Elahi Institute of Cardiology in Wazirabad.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had told media on Wednesday that the ruling coalition would go for a vote of confidence before Jan 11, the day when an LHC bench resumes hearing into a petition by Parvez Elahi challenging the governor’s move.

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Elahi’s statement will further complicate the political situation in Punjab as the PTI wants the CM to take a vote of confidence and dissolve the assembly to pave the way for a fresh election.

Says governor’s order is illegal

The chief minister showed displeasure over recent media statements by some senior PTI leaders and advised them to show some responsibility “in their statements as this is their party’s government as well.”

In same interaction with media, Elahi said “Imran Khan is a truly honest and dedicated leader the nation has got after Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.” He said the Punjab government was progressing according to the vision of Imran Khan.

Responding to a question regarding Fawad Chaudhry’s criticim of Gujrat district police officer Ghazanfar Shah for using his mobile phone to record the video statement of main suspect in the Imran Khan’s gun attack, the CM said that investigation was underway and a team might go to United States of America to record the statement of then inspector general of police in this regard as Shahbaz Sharif had sent the IG for a refresher course in the United Nations, implying the Punjab police chief had ordered the recording.

He revealed that his government had renewed the agreement with a Turkish company for the cleanliness of Lahore and the people would see an improvement in the civic services and sewerage system across the province.

“My government has created at least 100,000 jobs in Punjab through creation of seven new districts and other such uplift measures as we are heading towards achieving the goal of a welfare state by serving the common man” the CM said.

He said the Multan Institute of Cardiology would be upgraded to 1,000 beds whereas the Wazirabad’s CPIC would have 500 beds in phases.

Mr Elahi said a family health clinic worth Rs 50 million would be built in Wazirabad city and a trauma centre in Gakhar Mandi town would also be established.

The CM announced to establish a journalist colony in Gujranwala with at least 300 plots for media personnel of Gujranwala and Wazirabad.

Earlier, Mr Elahi inaugurated the Gujranwala Teaching Hospital that has been completed at a cost of Rs 7.8 billion. He was given a briefing by senior officers of the health department on the salient features of the project. The CM also inquired after some patients admitted to the hospital and vowed to provide every modern facility to the residents of Gujranwala.

On Friday (today), the CM will be the chief guest at the 7th convocation of the University of Gujrat.

REVOLT

PTI MPA Momina Waheed has announced that she would not be voting for Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi during a vote of confidence against the CM.

The PTI has called a Punjab Assembly session for the purpose on Jan 9.

Explaining her stance on a TV programme on Thursday, Ms Waheed claimed PTI legislators were dejected as Mr Elahi was announcing and executing development projects for Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin only.

She also claimed some other MPAs might also abstain from voting for Mr Elahi though she denied lobbying to support her claim.

Meanwhile, MPA Bilal Warraich, who won the last general election as an independent but with PML-N support, called on PTI chief Imran Khan and announced to vote in favour of Elahi during the vote of confidence.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2023