The Lahore High Court on Monday disposed of a petition seeking removal of caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar from office for his “failure to carry out his constitutional duties”.
Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan of the LHC announced the verdict which court reserved earlier in the day after hearing the arguments from both sides. Advocate Muhammad Muqsit, the petitioner, argued that the constitution provided that the caretaker government was only for 90 days. “The caretaker government has completed its 90-day tenure and the country is running without an executive,” he submitted.
The petitioner said the caretaker prime minister had failed to fulfill his constitutional obligation by not holding elections in time. He had tarnished the sanctity of the office of the prime minister, the advocate added.
“On Nov 15, the term of Mr Kakar expired and he is no longer caretaker prime minister,” the advocate continued.
He said neither the Election Commission of Pakistan nor any constitutional court extended the caretaker prime minister’s term. “I request the court to issue an order to remove the caretaker prime minister from office,” he pleaded.
During the course of hearing, the judge asked whether the court could give such an order to the caretaker prime minister.
The counsel for the government said Justice Raza Qureshi had already dismissed such a petition.
