In an unexpected move, Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry announced that Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has been ousted from his position by the federal government.
Fawad Chaudhry announced this in a tweet today. He wrote, “The federal government has removed Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar from his post. The new governor of Punjab will be announced later. According to the constitution, the deputy speaker will be the acting governor.” (Machine translated from Urdu)
وفاقی حکومت نے گورنر پنجاب چوہدری محمد سرور کو ان کے عہدے سے برطرف کر دیا ہے، نئے گورنر پنجاب کا اعلان بعد میں کیا جائیگا، آئین کے مطابق ڈپٹی اسپیکر قائم مقام گورنر ہوں گے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 3, 2022
The announcement came only hours before a crucial session of the National Assembly on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s no-confidence motion, as well as a session of the Punjab State Assembly to elect a new leader of the house following the resignation of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Sarwar, according to reports, was not towing the government’s line. According to certain reports, Sarwar conducted backdoor conversations with the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and was empathetic towards the opposition party.
Who is Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar?
Sarwar is a former British parliamentarian who left his profession in Glasgow in 2013 to serve in Pakistan. He joined the PML-N and was appointed Punjab governor after the party won both the national and provincial elections in 2013.
He did, however, resigned as governor of Punjab in January 2015 and promptly joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He was sworn in as governor for a second term in September 2018.
No confidence motion against Imran Khan
Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, tabled a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan’s government in the National Assembly. Imran Khan needs the support of 172 members of the 342-member National Assembly to prevent his government from dissolving.
The resolution of no confidence was passed against Imran Khan in the midst of surging inflation and dire economic conditions in Pakistan. The voting for the motion is expected to take place today
