‘PMLQ merger with PTI’: Shujaat suspends Elahi’s party membership

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and President Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PMLQ) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain issued show-cause notice to party’s Punjab president and Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi over his media statements about party’s merger with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and suspended his basic party membership till his reply to the notice. 

The decision in this regard was taken in a party meeting with Ch Shujaat Hussain in the chair. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Food Security and Research and Secretary General PMLQ Tariq Bashir Cheema, Senior Vice-President Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Senior PMLQ leader Chaudhry Shafey Hussain.

The PMLQ president was of the opinion that party’s provincial president could not take any decision about merger with any other party. Later, he issues the show-cause notice to Ch Parvez Elahi, terming his media statements an ‘illegal act’ and asked him to submit a reply in seven days.

“You are directed to submit your response over the unconstitutional act in seven days,” the notice stated. The notice said that the PML-Q, being a political party, has its own political identity, vote bank, party discipline and manifesto, which have been violated through statements given to the media. “You submit your explanation within 7 days either personally or through your representative; in case of failure, an action under clause Article 16 and Article 50 of the Constitution of the PMLQ will be taken against you. Your party members will remain suspended till that time,” the notice said.

PMLQ President Ch Shujaat Hussain has also convened party’s general council meeting on January 26 in which consultations on the party affairs would be held and party’s future line of action would be decided.

Meanwhile, a consultative meeting of the electoral college of PMLQ was held under the chair of Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi. Chaudhary Wajahat Hussain, Hussain Elahi MNA, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Hafiz Ammar Yasir, Bao Rizwan, Shujaat Nawaz Ajnala, Abdullah Yusuf, Sajid Ahmad Khan Bhatti, Dr Afzal, Chaudhry Ehsanul Haq, Mian Imran Masood, Basma Chaudhary, Khadija Farooqui, Khuram Manwar Manj and Ayaz Khan Niazi were present.

There was a detailed consultation regarding the merger with PTI and the participants presented their suggestions in this regard. The meeting expressed full confidence in the leadership of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and the authority of all decisions was also given to him. It was decided to further extend the consultation process and party office bearers will also be consulted at the district level.

Meetings of all district office bearers will be held for this purpose. A meeting of the office bearers will also be called at the Muslim League House and the CM would address them.

President women wing Khadija Farooqui will start the consultation process with women office bearers and consultations will be held with all wings including lawyers, labour, minority, youth, scholars, farmers, culture, traders, doctors etc.

All the participants announced to side with Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and added that Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is their leader. “We are with Chaudhry Parvez Elahi with full political and public power,” they said and maintained that the ideal alliance of PMLQ and PTI has truly delivered to the people under the leadership of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.

The CM added that the consultation for the future plan of action has started and a decision will be taken by consensus.