Pakistan President Arif Alvi administers oath to newly elected Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi

In Pakistan, President Dr. Arif Alvi administered the oath to newly-elected Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi in the wee hours around 2 am local time after the Supreme Court declared the election of his predecessor, PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz, null and void yesterday. The dramatic oath came as Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman refused to administer the oath to Elahi last night.

Supreme Court struck down Punjab Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari's ruling on the province chief minister's election. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Ijazul



Ahsan and Munib Akhtar announced the decision.

Meanwhile, shortly after the Supreme Court's verdict, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz termed it a "Judicial coup in a tweet.  Later addressing a news conference in Islamabad, she said the apex court decision would have been different if the full court had been formed.

On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan appreciated Supreme Court judges for standing firm and upholding the Constitution and law, against all manner of threats and abuse.