LAHORE: A constitutional crisis has erupted in the country’s largest province, where Speaker of Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi remained silent on whether to assume office or not following the removal of the governor.

Sources privy to the development told BOL News that after the ouster of Punjab Governor Sarfraz Cheema, the federal government issued a notification to appoint the Speaker Punjab Assembly as acting governor, but the speaker has not yet informed the Assembly Secretariat about taking over the slot.

On the other hand, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi continued to perform his official duties in the Punjab Assembly Secretariat and is consulting his associates on the current situation.

Read more: Governor Punjab Omar Sarfraz Cheema removed, notification issued

Sources said that unless the Speaker informs the Assembly, the Deputy Speaker may not be notified to assume the responsibilities of the Acting Speaker.

Legal experts while talking to the BOL News explained that according to the constitution and law, the Speaker Punjab Assembly cannot refuse to become acting governor adding that under the constitution, the post of governor cannot remain vacant.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Law Nazir Tarar said that there was no constitutional crisis in Punjab and the appointment of a governor was the prerogative of the prime minister.