ISLAMABAD : Jan 22, 2023: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has picked up Mohsin Naqvi , an owner of 24 News, City 42, City 41 and City 44 TV channels, for the slot of caretaker chief minister of Punjab.
The ECP said in its official announcement made here on Sunday that its decision to appoint Mohsin Naqvi as caretaker chief minister Punjab was unanimous .
The ECP took the decision to appoint Mohsin Naqvi as caretaker chief minister Punjab in a meeting held here with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) , Raja Sultan Sikander, in the chair.
After failing of the parliamentary committee , four names were sent to the ECP to pick one of them for the post of the caretaker chief minister Punjab . These names included Ahmad Cheema a retired bureaucrat , Ahmad Nawaz Sukhaira , a senior serving civil servant , Mohsin Naqvi , owner of private TV channel –24 News and at least four others, and Nasir Khosa, again a retired senior bureaucrat.
Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) had expressed strong reservations over two names –Ahnad Cheema, who is known for his loyality to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) and Mohsin Naqvi , a man known as a close buddy of Asif Ali Zardari. PTI chairman, Imran Khan , had made it clear to the ECP a couple of days ago that in case it picked up any one of the controversial two names without mentioning any name, but obviously he meant Mohsin Naqvi and Ahmad Cheema then his party will not accept its decision .
Former chief minister , Pervez Elahi, was even more hostile towards Mohsin Naqvi who is his close relative also . Mohsin Naqvi is a son in law of real sister of Chaudhary Pervez Elahi . Ashraf Marth , a senior police officer and father in law of Mohsin Naqvi and brother in law of Chaudhary Pervez Elahi , was gunned down inside Gujranwala police line in the morning by the terrorists when he was going to his office for carrying out an operation against a banned religious sect in Multan in late 90s.
Chaudhary Pervez Elahi probably opposed appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as a caretaker chief minister due to his close friendship with Asif Zardari and Chaudhary Salik Hussain , elder.son of Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain.
Soon after announcement of appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as caretaker chief minister Punjab, Chaudhary Pervez Elahi tweeted and said how come his close relative could become a caretaker chief minister Punjab. He actually denied the fact in his tweet .
PTI leader , Fawad Chaudhary , wailed over Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment as caretaker chief minister Punjab in a statement and said that with the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as caretaker chief minister Punjab , PTI was left with no other option, but to return to the streets again. He asked PTI workers to get ready to launch massive street campaign against the ECP . PTI leader , Babar Awan , tweeted that with appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as caretaker chief minister Punjab , ECP proved it was a party to PDM against PTI.
PTI announced to go to the court against ECP decision of appointing Mohsin Naqvi as caretaker chief minister Punjab.
