According to Article 112(1) of the Constitution, the assembly stands automatically dissolved at expiration of 48 hours following the chief minister's advice.
A notification from the governor has been sent to Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and Leader of the Opposition in the provincial assembly Hamza Shehbaz.
What follows is the appointment of a caretaker chief minister after due consultation between CM, Leader of the Opposition and the governor.
The governor has sought the names of the nominees for the slot on Tuesday [Jan 17].
https://twitter.com/MBalighurRehman/status/1614312062561275904
Earlier, Rehman had distanced himself from the dissolution, saying he would "rather let the Constitution and law take its own course."
https://twitter.com/MBalighurRehman/status/1614302765211348992
On Friday (Jan 13), PTI's Fawad Chaudhry said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had prepared a summary to dissolve the provincial assembly.
Earlier today, PTI chief Imran Khan confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be “tested” through a vote of confidence, a move similar to the one he faced as the country’s premier in April last year.
“Absolutely, we will test him,” Imran told Meher Bokhari during his interview with Hum News, when asked whether the PML-N president may be asked to obtain a vote of confidence from the National Assembly.
According to former premier, Shehbaz had ‘tested’ the PTI so it was now the party’s turn [to do the same].
He informed the interviewer that his party plans to hold a meeting Sunday to finalise the move as well as “other plans to fully put them [ruling coalition] in a testing situation.”
It was reported earlier today that the PTI is planning to table a no-trust motion against PM Shehbaz after the possible dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.
The intense wrangling in the province has intensified the political crisis in the country. While the PTI is adamant at holding snap polls in the country, PML-N says this would push Pakistan towards instability.
The ruling party in the Centre has earlier hinted at holding general elections in October this year.