PM Shehbaz Sharif calls on President Alvi amid oath crisis

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday called on President Dr. Arif Alvi for the first time after assuming the premiership.

President's Secretariat issued a statement saying the two leaders met at President's House and exchanged views related to the evolving political and economic situation in Pakistan.

Sharif meets Alvi amid a dispute over the removal of Punjab Governor Omer Sarfaraz Cheema who earlier refused to administer the oath to the newly-elected Punjab Chief Minister after calling the provincial election controversial.

Sharif used his discretionary powers to remove Cheema, who has been directed to leave the governor's house at the earliest while the PTI leader said the premier did not have the authority to dismiss him and only the president could do so.

Later, the newly appointed Information Minister said that the government was sending a summary to the president for his removal on which senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the president had denied removing Cheema.

Dr Alvi earlier skipped the oath-taking ceremony of the Prime Minister citing poor health after which Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had taken over the responsibility. Similarly, he also distanced himself to administer oaths to federal cabinet members.

The PML-N leaders have criticised the president for what they said not performing his constitutional duties.