Governors dissolve provincial assemblies
Staff Report/Agencies

ISLAMABAD—Punjab Governor Lt. Gen. (R) Khalid Maqbool dissolved Provincial Assembly of the Punjab here on Sunday night. According to a notification in this regard, in exercise of the powers conferred on him under clause (1) of Article 1123 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan read with Article 2(1) of the Provisional Constitution Order No.1 of 2007 the Governor of the Punjab on the advice of the Chief Minister has been pleased to dissolve the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 18th November 2007 and in consequence thereof the Cabinet of Ministers of the Punjab stands dissolved with immediate effect.
The notification further reads that consequent upon the dissolution of the Provincial Cabinet all the Special Assistants and the Advisors to the Chief Minister Punjab shall cease to hold office with immediate effect. Former provincial minister Sardar Saleh Bhutani will take oath as Chief Minister Balochistan along with other 14-member cabinet here on Monday noon after dissolution of Balochistan Assembly (at12:00am) on completion of its five years term, sources told reporters. The sources said Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Yousaf has recommended Governor Balochistan Awais Ahmed Ghani for dissolving the assembly which will take effect at 12:00am on Monday. The Governor will administer oath to the caretaker Chief Minister and a 14-member cabinet at the Governor House.
Saleh Bhutani belongs to PML-Q. Other ministers are expected to be Jalil Dotani, who had previously served as minister in the provincial cabinet when President General Pervez Musharraf was the chief executive while the other member is Barrester Saifullah Magsi son of former chief minister Balochistan Zulfiqar Ali Magsi. However, names of the other members of the cabinet could not be ascertained.
Former Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Justice (Retd) Sheikh Ijaz Nisar, Justice (Retd) Abdul Qadir Halipowta, and Sardar Saleh Muhammad Bhotani are expected interim Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan respectively. Reliable sources told that aforesaid figures would take oath today (Monday). On this occasion, 14 members caretaker cabinet of Balochistan, and 12 members of Sindh Cabinet will also take oath.
Punjab Chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi met President General Pervez Musharraf at Chief Minister’s Secretariat here Saturday night and discussed with him political situation and ongoing development projects in the province. Pervaiz Elahi briefed the President about the development schemes being executed in education, health, agriculture, industry, irrigation, infrastructure and other sectors in Punjab.
He said that abundant resources became available to the provinces due to economic policies of President General Pervez Musharraf which helped in launching and timely completion of development programmes. Pervaiz Elahi said that the President also provided guidance for the development of agriculture, irrigation and other sectors and the programme of bricklining of water channels improved irrigation network that resulted in record development in agriculture sector.