Pakistan: President Arif Alvi administers oath to Pervez Elahi as Punjab CM

Pakistan's President Arif Alvi in the wee hours of Wednesday at the Aiwan-e-Sadar administered the oath to Pervez Elahi as the new Chief Minister of Punjab.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Pervez Elahi took oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab after the Supreme Court announced a verdict against the ruling of Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammed Mazari, reported Geo News.

SC's three-member bench -- comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Muneeb Akhtar -- had initially ordered Punjab Governor Baligh ur Rehman to administer the oath to Elahi, however, he refused to perform his duties. Consequently, President Arif Alvi administered the oath.

Following Governor Punjab's refusal, Elahi left for Islamabad late Tuesday night to take oath from Alvi as per the Supreme Court's order.

According to Geo News, President Alvi had sent a special aircraft to bring Elahi to Islamabad for the oath-taking ceremony, reported Geo News.

Earlier, the top court declared Mazari's ruling in the Punjab chief minister's election "illegal" and ruled that PTI's candidate Elahi will be the new CM of the province.

The Supreme Court, in an 11-page short order, said, "We find that the understanding and implementation of the said short judgment as well as the provisions of Article 63A(1)(b) of the Constitution by the Deputy Speaker, Provincial Assembly of Punjab, Lahore (Respondent No.1) was patently incorrect and erroneous and cannot be sustained."

The order then declared Elahi as the duly elected chief minister of Punjab as it ruled that he had obtained 186 votes compared to Hamza's 179.

Meanwhile, PTI supporters throng Liberty Chowk in Lahore to celebrate Punjab CM's verdict by Pakistan's apex court.

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) chief, Imran Khan on Tuesday urged his supporters to take to the streets to celebrate the SC verdict.

Taking to Twitter, former prime minister Imran Khan said, "I appreciate our SC judges for standing firm and upholding the Constitution and law, against all manner of threats and abuse."

He further thanked Barrister Ali Zafar and his team for fighting the PTI's case in the top court. "I want to thank the people of Punjab for coming out in unprecedented numbers in by-elections against rigging," wrote Khan.

The PTI said that his party will celebrate the win tomorrow with the people who stood by their campaign for Haqeeqi Azadi, reported Geo News.

"The milestone crossed today is very important in every sense, it is a great achievement, we have proved that the source of strength is we the people," said one of the PTI supporters.

"Unbelievable crowds at liberty chowk. Ppl are celebrating," tweeted PTI.

The celebrations of Elahi's oath-taking are being celebrated across Pakistan by Imran Khan supporters.

People were celebrating in the Vihari district. Rally and celebration were led by Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal in Vihari, reported the PTI Twitter handle.

A large number of people came out to celebrate the verdict of the Supreme Court at Mardan Piala Hotel in Hyderabad, raising slogans of Imran Khan, Long live the Prime Minister, Imran Khan.

"Imported government's time in Punjab is finished. The public mandate has been respected!" said one of the PTI supporters.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided that they will not show Oath Taking ceremony of CM Punjab on PTV, a state channel.

"This is absolutely shameful behaviour by so-called democratic parties!" tweeted PTI.

This is yet another major win for former prime minister Imran Khan after his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won against the ruling coalition in the Punjab bypolls.

The top court, in its short order, declared all the appointments made by Hamza "illegal" and told the members of his Cabinet to vacate their offices, Dawn reported.

All of the advisers and assistants appointed by Hamza were also ordered to be relieved of their duties.

Notably, Hamza Shahbaz, son of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had defeated Pervez Elahi in the Punjab polls and Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Mazari had dismissed PML-Q's 10 votes after party head Chaudhry Shujaat urged them to vote in favour of Hamza.

Earlier, the Pakistan Supreme Court had allowed Hamza Shahbaz to stay as a 'trustee' chief minister of Punjab till the court resumes hearing. In its order after the day-long hearing, the court said that it cannot leave a province without a chief executive and so, "Hamza will continue to work as a trustee chief minister till Monday.