Pakistan Election Commission appoints Mohsin Raza Naqvi as Punjab's caretaker CM
Jan 23, 2023
Islamabad [Pakistan], January 22 : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday appointed Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab province, the Dawn reported, adding that the decision of the ECP came after the matter was referred to the electoral watchdog after a bi-partisan parliamentary committee failed to reach a consensus on the matter within the stipulated time.
Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was one of the two candidates proposed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Hamza Shehbaz for caretaker CM. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Pakistan's Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, the Dawn reported.
Further, as per the news report, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi is the owner of a media house and is believed to be very close to Pakistan People's Party leader Asif Ali Zardari. The ECP in a press release said a notification regarding the appointment had been issued and a separate letter had been sent to Punjab Governor Baligh ur Rehman for administering the oath to Naqvi.
The ECP shared a press release on Twitter saying, "#ECP has unanimously decided to appoint Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as Care-Taker Chief Minister Punjab." PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry rejected the decision taken by ECP and said that the commission "never failed to disappoint."
Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, "The Election Commission has never disappointed, rejecting the decision to appoint a controversial person like Mohsin Naqvi as the Chief Minister, there is no other way than to struggle on the streets against this system. Workers should prepare, they will launch a big campaign under the leadership of Imran Khan."
PTI leader Asad Umar tweeted, "The appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as caretaker chief minister is like a joke with Ion. Tehreek-e-Insaf will also make a legal challenge and public protest against it."
The ECP only had time till Sunday to take a decision on for Punjab's caretaker CM, as the two-day deadline given to the poll watchdog for the purpose was due to expire on Sunday, as per the news report.
On January 14, the provincial assembly (PA) in Pakistan's Punjab was dissolved after Governor Baligh Ur Rehman said he decided not to become a part of the process, the Dawn reported.
Baligh Ur Rehman tweeted, "I have decided not to become part of the process leading to the dissolution of Punjab Assembly. I would rather let the Constitution and law take its own course. Doing so will not hamper any legal process as Constitution clearly provides a way forward."
