Rana Sanaullah hints at imposing ‘Governor Rule’ in Punjab

Amid the political unrest and constitutional crisis in Punjab, federal interior minister Rana Sanaullah has hinted at imposing the governor rule in the province.
The development came when a private news channel asked Sanaullah about the PML-N’s strategy, if CM Punjab evades trust vote.
Sanaullah said that Governor Punjab can also request the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to impose governor rule.
Earlier, Rana Sanaullah said that Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman will denotify Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi if he won’t take a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly by 4pm today.
“If CM Punjab does not take a vote of confidence by 4pm today, he will cease to remain the CM,” the minister told reporters outside the Governor House. “If CM does not seek vote of confidence by the given time, the governor can summon a session to elect a new CM,” he added.
Earlier on Saturday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that his governments in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces will dissolve their assemblies on Friday (December 23) to pave the way for fresh elections.
Following the Khan’s announcement, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman had asked the chief minister to take a vote of confidence from the House on Wednesday (today), while PML-N and PPP lawmakers submitted a separate no-trust motion against him in a bid to bar him from dissolving the assembly.
According to the law, the chief minister cannot dissolve the assembly if a no-trust motion has been moved against him, while the governor’s requirement for the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence from the house means he has to ensure that he manages to secure 186 votes.