Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday instructed Punjab Governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema to “ensure the completion of the process” of administering oath to Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shehbaz, either himself or through a nominee, “on or before” April 28 (Friday).

The decision was announced in an open court at 10am on a petition filed by Hamza seeking the court’s direction to the Senate chairman to administer oath to him.

“For that matter, expeditious administration of oath either by President or by Governor or their nominee, as the case may be, is mandatory,” he said, pointing out that there was no “vacuum” or “space” in the Constitution to delay the administration of oath.

Justice Bhatti underscored that Punjab was being operated without a functional government for the last 25 days since the acceptance of former CM Usman Buzdar’s resignation. “On the other hand, the oath of the newly elected Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Muhammad Hamza Shahbaz Sharif is being delayed on one pretext or the other, which is not only against democratic norms but also against the scheme of the Constitution,” he observed.

Subsequently, the court directed Cheema to “ensure the completion of the process of administration of oath of Chief Minister Punjab, either himself or through his nominee, in terms of Article 255 of the Constitution, on or before 28.04.2022.”

It also instructed President Dr Arif Alvi to facilitate the administration of Hamza’s oath and “play his role mandated by the Constitution/Law” by ensuring a functional government in Punjab.