LAHORE: Former Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has decided to join Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMLQ) and a formal announcement about this is to be made on Sunday.
Likely to be made Punjab President
Sources privy to this development confirmed that Sarwar is most likely to be made Punjab’s president of the party in place of former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi who ditched his cousin, head of the Chauhdry family and party’s president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
“The negotiations for the party designation is underway and he is most likely to be made party’s president of the Punjab chapter,” said one of Sarwar’s close aides.
It is pertinent to mention that party’s President and former premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on February 21 2023 removed his cousin from the post of Punjab president and also terminated his party membership.
According to political insiders the removal of Elahi from the position of Punjab’s president resulted in his decision to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as party president along with his son Moonis Elahi, cousin Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, nephew Hussain Elahi and 10 MPAs. This was a huge blow to PML Q who needed some towering political figure who could help them in re-organising and strengthening the party.
Sources maintain that when Sarwar was governor he had gotten funds released for setting up water filtration plants, improving road infrastructure and other development works in different constituencies of Punjab which would also benefit PML-Q in the long run.
‘Sarwar could woo electables’
Political pundits believe if Sarwar is given a free-hand he could help Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Tariq Bashir Cheema and Chaudhry Shafaay Hussain in reviving the party especially in Central Punjab.
“When Chaudhry Sarwar was a governor in Punjab he used to enjoy the support and respect of respectable political families across party lines,” a former PML-Q MNA says while adding that it would be an added advantage for PML-Q to benefit from Sarwar’s strong connections and win electables in central, south and north Punjab who could contest next general elections on PML-Q’s ticket.
Sarwar might help PML-Q in regaining the lost ground
Sources maintain that after a number of electables left PML-Q along with Elahi it would have been a huge task for Chaudhry Salik Hussain alone to revive the party in such a scenario, Sarwar inclusion to party ranks would help him in reviving the party again and find suitable candidates to contest next general elections on PML-Q’s ticket.
Sarwar’s role in PML-Q?
Sources told TFT that party president Shujaat is now in the process re-organising the party and helping his sons Salik and Shafaay in finding suitable candidates for the party in the next general elections.
‘Electoral candidates who don’t want to contest on PMLN’s ticket will have an alternative’
Consequently now the situation is, that after premier Shehbaz Sharif led Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM’s) government’s dismal performance at economic front, many electables who were previously planning to contest general elections on PML-N ticket are confused now.
“Many electables who are anti-Imran Khan and were previously eyeing to contest elections on PML-N’s ticket are now looking for alternatives and in such a scenario PML-Q could be a best choice for them instead of contesting elections independently,” said a political insider while adding that PML-N is the only party in the PDM government that has lost majority of its political capital after coming to power in these 10 months.
Sarwar was initially interested in joining PPP instead of PML-Q
Sources belonging to the inner circle of Sarwar confirm that Sarwar initially had offers from both PML-Q and PPP and he had discussed it with his friends, family and people of his constituency.
“Chauhdry Sarwar personally wanted to join PPP but he was convinced by some “well informed” friends with political acumen to join PML-Q as it would politically benefit him,” sources say.
He had also met former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani and PPP South Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood in January at Makhdoom House.
Sarwar - a seasoned politician
Sarwar is a seasoned politician who remained a member of the parliament in the United Kingdom (UK) from 1997 to 2010 where he was repeatedly elected from consecutive terms from his constituency in Glasgow.
“He returned to Pakistan in order to serve the motherland and play his part for the betterment of the country,” said one of his close aides while adding that he left the UK in order to carry out development works in underdeveloped areas of the country.
“Sarwar established the Sarwar Foundation in 2000, which focuses on the provision of healthcare, clean water, education and women empowerment within Pakistan and his services in this regard need no introduction,” said another one of his close aides.
One of his close friends recalls how Sarwar campaigned for PML-N and raised funds for them during the 2013 general elections in Pakistan. Soon after, Nawaz Sharif became the premier of Pakistan.
“Sarwar was made the 31st governor of Punjab on August 5, 2013 after he had shown his desire to become the governor of the country's most populous province which is none other than Punjab,” his close friend maintains.
Sarwar is known for calling a spade a spade
Political insiders recall that his relationship soured with PML-N when he criticised the foreign policy of the then premier Nawaz Sharif and stepped down from the post in January 2015.
“He censured the Foreign Office (FO) for US President Barack Obama’s visit to India and not Pakistan and termed it a failure of the country's foreign policy,” a source who had worked closely with him said while adding that these anti-government remarks led to his resignation.
Sources maintain that he is outspoken and a man of principles who never shies away from calling a spade a spade.
On February 10 2015, Sarwar joined PTI and was elected to the Senate of Pakistan where he served till September 4 2018. On September 5 2018 he took oath as the 35th governor of Punjab.
‘Sarwar used to criticise PTI and its policies as governor’
Sources maintain that between 2018 to 2022 he criticised Imran Khan's policies and was one of the biggest critics of Usman Buzdar when he was made the chief minister of Punjab.
In an exclusive interview with me last year, while he was still Punjab’s governor Sarwar had said that, “Imran Khan lacks flexibility which is an important trait in politics.”
PTI sources indicated that he was removed from his post at the request of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for his alleged involvement in campaigning for Hamza Shehbaz in the election of chief minister.
‘Sarwar was sacked from PTI on Elahi’s request’
Interestingly multiple sources from PTI confirm that it was Elahi on whose request Sarwar was sacked from the post in April last year after he alleged about his involvement in order to convince legislators to vote for Hamza in the election of chief minister.
“Now it would be very interesting if he replaces Elahi after joining PML-Q,” said a political pundit.
Likely to be made Punjab President
Sources privy to this development confirmed that Sarwar is most likely to be made Punjab’s president of the party in place of former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi who ditched his cousin, head of the Chauhdry family and party’s president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
“The negotiations for the party designation is underway and he is most likely to be made party’s president of the Punjab chapter,” said one of Sarwar’s close aides.
It is pertinent to mention that party’s President and former premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on February 21 2023 removed his cousin from the post of Punjab president and also terminated his party membership.
According to political insiders the removal of Elahi from the position of Punjab’s president resulted in his decision to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as party president along with his son Moonis Elahi, cousin Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, nephew Hussain Elahi and 10 MPAs. This was a huge blow to PML Q who needed some towering political figure who could help them in re-organising and strengthening the party.
Sources maintain that when Sarwar was governor he had gotten funds released for setting up water filtration plants, improving road infrastructure and other development works in different constituencies of Punjab which would also benefit PML-Q in the long run.
‘Sarwar could woo electables’
Political pundits believe if Sarwar is given a free-hand he could help Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Tariq Bashir Cheema and Chaudhry Shafaay Hussain in reviving the party especially in Central Punjab.
“When Chaudhry Sarwar was a governor in Punjab he used to enjoy the support and respect of respectable political families across party lines,” a former PML-Q MNA says while adding that it would be an added advantage for PML-Q to benefit from Sarwar’s strong connections and win electables in central, south and north Punjab who could contest next general elections on PML-Q’s ticket.
Sarwar might help PML-Q in regaining the lost ground
Sources maintain that after a number of electables left PML-Q along with Elahi it would have been a huge task for Chaudhry Salik Hussain alone to revive the party in such a scenario, Sarwar inclusion to party ranks would help him in reviving the party again and find suitable candidates to contest next general elections on PML-Q’s ticket.
Sarwar’s role in PML-Q?
Sources told TFT that party president Shujaat is now in the process re-organising the party and helping his sons Salik and Shafaay in finding suitable candidates for the party in the next general elections.
‘Electoral candidates who don’t want to contest on PMLN’s ticket will have an alternative’
Consequently now the situation is, that after premier Shehbaz Sharif led Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM’s) government’s dismal performance at economic front, many electables who were previously planning to contest general elections on PML-N ticket are confused now.
“Many electables who are anti-Imran Khan and were previously eyeing to contest elections on PML-N’s ticket are now looking for alternatives and in such a scenario PML-Q could be a best choice for them instead of contesting elections independently,” said a political insider while adding that PML-N is the only party in the PDM government that has lost majority of its political capital after coming to power in these 10 months.
Sarwar was initially interested in joining PPP instead of PML-Q
Sources belonging to the inner circle of Sarwar confirm that Sarwar initially had offers from both PML-Q and PPP and he had discussed it with his friends, family and people of his constituency.
“Chauhdry Sarwar personally wanted to join PPP but he was convinced by some “well informed” friends with political acumen to join PML-Q as it would politically benefit him,” sources say.
He had also met former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani and PPP South Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood in January at Makhdoom House.
Sarwar - a seasoned politician
Sarwar is a seasoned politician who remained a member of the parliament in the United Kingdom (UK) from 1997 to 2010 where he was repeatedly elected from consecutive terms from his constituency in Glasgow.
“He returned to Pakistan in order to serve the motherland and play his part for the betterment of the country,” said one of his close aides while adding that he left the UK in order to carry out development works in underdeveloped areas of the country.
“Sarwar established the Sarwar Foundation in 2000, which focuses on the provision of healthcare, clean water, education and women empowerment within Pakistan and his services in this regard need no introduction,” said another one of his close aides.
One of his close friends recalls how Sarwar campaigned for PML-N and raised funds for them during the 2013 general elections in Pakistan. Soon after, Nawaz Sharif became the premier of Pakistan.
“Sarwar was made the 31st governor of Punjab on August 5, 2013 after he had shown his desire to become the governor of the country's most populous province which is none other than Punjab,” his close friend maintains.
Sarwar is known for calling a spade a spade
Political insiders recall that his relationship soured with PML-N when he criticised the foreign policy of the then premier Nawaz Sharif and stepped down from the post in January 2015.
“He censured the Foreign Office (FO) for US President Barack Obama’s visit to India and not Pakistan and termed it a failure of the country's foreign policy,” a source who had worked closely with him said while adding that these anti-government remarks led to his resignation.
Sources maintain that he is outspoken and a man of principles who never shies away from calling a spade a spade.
On February 10 2015, Sarwar joined PTI and was elected to the Senate of Pakistan where he served till September 4 2018. On September 5 2018 he took oath as the 35th governor of Punjab.
‘Sarwar used to criticise PTI and its policies as governor’
Sources maintain that between 2018 to 2022 he criticised Imran Khan's policies and was one of the biggest critics of Usman Buzdar when he was made the chief minister of Punjab.
In an exclusive interview with me last year, while he was still Punjab’s governor Sarwar had said that, “Imran Khan lacks flexibility which is an important trait in politics.”
PTI sources indicated that he was removed from his post at the request of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for his alleged involvement in campaigning for Hamza Shehbaz in the election of chief minister.
‘Sarwar was sacked from PTI on Elahi’s request’
Interestingly multiple sources from PTI confirm that it was Elahi on whose request Sarwar was sacked from the post in April last year after he alleged about his involvement in order to convince legislators to vote for Hamza in the election of chief minister.
“Now it would be very interesting if he replaces Elahi after joining PML-Q,” said a political pundit.