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Pakistan: Omar Sarfaraz Cheema denotified as Punjab governor

President Alvi had strongly rejected PM Shehbaz Sharif’s advice to remove him as governor

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Omar Sarfaraz Cheema has been denotified as Punjab Governor on Tuesday.

The development comes hours after President Arif Alvi strongly rejected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice to remove Cheema, reported Geo News.

In contrast to the President’s rejection of the PM’s advice, the cabinet division issued late Monday night a notification regarding the removal of Cheema as governor of Punjab.

“In terms of Article 101 and proviso to Article 48 (1) of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, read with serial No. 2D of schedule V-B to the Rules of Business, 1973 and the Prime Minister’s advice (s) rendered on 17-04-2022 and 01-05-2022 for removal of Governor of Punjab, Omer Sarfaraz Cheema ceases to hold the office of the Governor Punjab, with immediate effect,” the notification said.

According to the notification, henceforth, the speaker of the Punjab assembly will perform his responsibilities as acting governor of Punjab till the appointment of the new governor, reported Geo News.

According to the sources, security has also been withdrawn from Omar Cheema following his removal from the governor’s post.

The federal government has already nominated Baligh-ur-Rehman as the new governor of Punjab.

Rehman, who hails from Bhawalpur, was elected from the NA-185 constituency in 2008 and 2013. He had earlier served as the state minister for education, interior and narcotics control when Nawaz Sharif became prime minister after the PML-N’s victory in the 2013 elections.

Incumbent Governor Cheema has been causing problems for the PML-N in Punjab ever since he was given the post by Imran Khan during his last days in power.

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The governor had triggered a constitutional crisis after he refused to administer the oath to Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz.

Hamza was finally sworn in after the Lahore High Court ordered NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to administer the oath.

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