Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat has maintained that there is no rift within the party and that the Chaudhry family is “on the same page”.
Speculation about the party’s unity emerged yesterday, after the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominated Pervaiz Elahi for the Punjab chief ministership in return for the PML-Q’s support in quashing the no-confidence motion. Soon after, however, PML-Q leader Tariq Bashir Cheema resigned from his post in the prime minister’s cabinet, and indicated that he would be voting against the government.
“I don’t like to issue clarifications but I will still make it clear that I am considered as the patriarch” Shujaat said, adding that all decisions within the party had been made with his prior consultation and approval. The PML-Q president assured that he had endorsed all moves made by party members.
He further called on the media to stop dispelling rumours, stating that one should resist from “dubbing an opinion as a decision”.
The PML-Q hold a crucial five seats in the National Assembly, making them the recipient of much courtship from both the PTI and the opposition ever since the no-confidence motion was submitted in early March.
The political shuffling follows the long-awaited tabling of the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday. Deputy Speaker of the NA Qasim Suri adjourned the session for further arguments till Thursday, March 31.
