PTI takes U-turn on Punjab CM's trust vote decision

• PTI decides Elahi will not take trust vote.
• Imran Khan advised against following governor's order.
• Consultations underway at Khan's Zaman Park residence.

LAHORE: Backtracking from its earlier consensus, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided that Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi would not take a vote of confidence ahead of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) January 11 hearing of a case pertaining to his de-notification.

On December 23, the LHC restored CM Parvez Elahi after Governor Baligh Ur Rehman denotified Elahi for failing to take the vote of confidence from the provincial assembly.

However, after hearing arguments of the Punjab government and others, the LHC suspended the notification following Elahi’s undertaking he would not dissolve the assembly before the next hearing.

Later, the PTI held a consultative meeting at Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence and decided the voting would be held before January 11.

On Friday, in a change of heart, Elahi termed the governor’s directives as “illegal” and refused to follow them, forcing the PTI to come up with a counter-strategy.

Following Elahi's reluctance to take the trust vote, sources told Geo News that the PTI chief had ordered party leaders to ensure voting took place and if any hurdles were raised to stop the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, then PTI lawmakers would resign from the house.

According to the sources, the PTI has now decided not to take a vote of confidence in the Punjab Assembly session on January 9 after input from the party’s legal minds.

The sources said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan had been advised by the legal team that the trust vote should be linked to the court order as the governor’s directive asking CM Elahi to take a vote of confidence from the Punjab assembly had no constitutional ground.

“The Punjab governor’s order will stand legal if voting is held in its pursuance before the court’s verdict.”

The sources said that PTI's parliamentary leader did not issue any instructions to the members regarding the vote of confidence in the January 9 session.

On the other hand, PTI MPA Zainab Umair said the consultation was underway on all aspects regarding the vote of confidence.