Omar Cheema de-notified
as governor Punjab
despite president’s disapproval,
Cabinet gives consent

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ISLAMABAD: Hours after President Arif Alvi’s rejection to approve Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s summary to remove Omar Cheema from his post, he was denotified as Punjab governor in the wee hours of Tuesday Geo News reported.

Omar Sarfraz Cheema

The situation emerged after President Alvi on Monday rejected PM Shehbaz’s advice to remove Governor Punjab Cheema from office. In a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat, President Alvi had conveyed to the prime minister that the Punjab governor cannot be removed without his approval.

However, in contrast to the president’s rejection of the PM’s advice, the cabinet division issued a notification regarding the removal of Omar Cheema as governor of Punjab.

Omar Cheema rejects

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Sarfraz Cheema on Tuesday has rejected his removal as Punjab governor.

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Omer Cheema discussing Punjab situation with President Dr. Arif Avli at the President House.

In his tweet, Cheema terming the notification issued by the Cabinet Division as unconstitutional said he is in contact with the constitutional experts and will announce his future strategy soon.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led federal government has denotified Omar Sarfraz as Punjab governor, in a late-night move.

Denotification letter of Governor Punjab Omar Sarfraz Cheema

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, Omar Sarfraz has been removed from his office and Punjab Assembly speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would be acting governor.

On Monday, President Dr Arif Alvi rejected the Prime Minister’s advice to remove Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz.

Rana Nasrullah Khan

Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan on Monday has warned President Arif Alvi and Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema.

The Home Minister said that President Arif Alvi is bound by the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and deviating from it would be unconstitutional.

Rana Sana said that the apex Court has ruled that the President has no ’inherent ’ or ‘ residual’ powers and in a parliamentary democracy the office of the President is symbolic, he has no veto power.

He further said that Omar Cheema should refrain from taking any unconstitutional step and he should go home with dignity and those who deviate from the constitution must be ready for the punishment of the constitution, court and people.

Imran Khan seeks SC

Imran Khan on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to take notice of what he described as a “blatant violation” of the Constitution and law in Punjab after a late-night federal government notification saw Omar Sarfraz Cheema removed as the province’s governor.

In a statement, Imran demanded the top court take “immediate notice of the blatant violation of the Constitution and the law in Punjab”.

His statement comes hours after the federal government issued the notification in the early hours of Tuesday, on the heels of a “strong rejection” of a summary by President Arif Alvi calling for Cheema’s removal from the governor’s office.

“Imported puppets are stirring up constitutional anarchy and chaos in Punjab,” Imran said. “First, a criminal puppet was imposed on the province as a chief minister through a ghost election. Now, keeping all constitutional requirements aside, the office of the president has been insulted.”

He condemned what he termed as an embarrassing attempt to remove the Punjab governor because of his insistence on protecting the Constitution. The former premier said that the “blatant violation” of the Constitution in Punjab was being watched in silence, therefore, the Supreme Court must take suo motu notice of the situation, given its sensitivity.