LARKANA:Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali has said that some of the federal ministers just to create constitutional crisis in the country were mixing up the definition of two different articles of the constitution, Article 95(4) and Article 94 to make a way out for the prime minister to continue even after losing the majority vote in the National Assembly.
“Under Article 95(4) of the constitution the prime minister shall cease to hold office if the no confidence resolution is passed by majority of the total membership of the national assembly, therefore the President cannot ask him [PM] to hold office till the election of new prime minister,” he said and added that under Article 94 of the constitution the President may ask the Prime Minister to hold office until his successor enters upon the office of the prime minister when the prime minister resigns.
This he said while addressing a press conference here at CM House on Saturday. He was flanked by provincial ministers, Imtiaz Shaikh, Taimure Talpur and Advisor law Murtaza Wahab. The chief minister said that the constitution was very clear that the president could not ask the prime minister to continue after losing a vote of confidence in the national assembly. “Yes, he [President] may ask the prime minister to continue till the election of his successor if the prime minister resigns,” he said and added that both were different cases and could not be mixed up.
Murad Ali Shah said that the prime minister and his team were bent upon creating a constitutional crisis in the country just for achieving their personal interest of clinging to power. Mr Shah said that a federal minister indirectly accepting defeat in the vote of no confidence said that he would join the media to work as an anchor. “I am sorry to say that those [Shaikh Rashid and other PTI ministers] who were making tall claims of creating a forward bloc in the Sindh Assembly and imposing Governor’s Rule in the province are leaving with their tails between their legs,” he said.
He lamented that a federal minister [Shaikh Rashid] was inviting the Security establishment to intervene. “I am surprised that they have gone berserk after witnessing the power slipping down from their hands – this amounts to booking him under Article 6 of the constitution,” he said.
Mr Shah lamented that the PTI minister was frightening the MNAs of ‘shame walk’ by crossing a crowd of over 100,000 people for casting vote. “They have also given calls to their workers to block roads and avenues to create a serious crisis in the country,” he said and added they were playing with fire and making themselves liable to be charged with Article 6 of the constitution.
The CM recalled that the two former prime ministers, Yousif Raza Gilani, and Nawaz Sharif, were disqualified by the court and the assembly had elected their successors as per constitution but the incumbent was bent upon violating the constitution, creating law and order in the country.
Murad Ali shah said that since the prime minister has waved a diplomatic letter in his public meeting the diplomats of other countries were reluctant to talk to their Pakistani counterparts openly and candidly. “Imran Khan is trying to vitiate cordial relations of Pakistan with other countries,” he said and added it was an enmity with the country and “now he has become a security risk,” he said.
Replying to a question about Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid’s orders of arresting MNA Jam Karim, the chief minister said that the federal minister was committing contempt of court. “Jam Karim has been granted bail till April 11, so how can he get him arrested,” he questioned.
Mr Shah said that the nazim Jokhio murder was an unfortunate incident, but the Sindh government supported the victim’s family in registering the case. “We arrested our MPA when they [family] nominated him and then they nominated MNA Jam Karim but he was out of Pakistan,” he said and added he has returned after getting bail before arrest,” he said.
Murad Ali Shah said that the issue of Nazim Jokhio was being exploited by the PTI government just to politicize the case, otherwise a provincial minister in KPK was also facing a murder case but his case has never been discussed. To a question about the appointment of Fawad Chaudhry as Law Minister, the chief minister said that he has not received his notification. “If he is appointed as new law minister, he would be the shortest serving law minister in the history of Pakistan,” he said.
MQM: Replying to a question, the chief minister said that a working framework has been signed with Muttahida leadership. He added that the talks between MQM and PPP were held in presence of their respective leadership. “I think this working relationship and understanding between the two parties-PPP and MQM- would prove to be useful for development of the province and the country. He added that the constitution of some committees with equal representation of both the parties has been agreed in the agreement. These committees would monitor the on-going inquiry into fake domiciles and implementation of rural urban job quota.
Mr Shah said that it was up to the MQM leadership if they agree to join the provincial government, otherwise they have not demanded any ministries.
CM Punjab: The chief minister, replying to a question, said that the Punjab chief minister Buzdar has resigned and within a day they have called the assembly session to elect new leader of the house but in the national assembly they were trying to prolong voting on no confidence resolution.
Mr Shah said that the PML-N was the majority party in the Punjab Assembly but even then PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif consulted the joint opposition for nominating Hamza Shahbaz as a candidate for chief minister slot.
Attack on Sindh House: The chief minister condemned the attack on Sindh House in strong words. “It was not an attack on a House, but it was an attack on the province of Sindh,” he said and lamented that the Islamabad police had badly failed to stop it. He urged IG Police Islamabad to deal with this case of attack on Sindh House as they have dealt with the PTV attack case.