Reports of a possible in-house change in Punjab are doing the rounds in the federal capital following recent statements by PML-Q's Pervez Elahi, a key PTI ally propping up Punjab's political arrangement.
Background interviews with several PTI insiders revealed that the party leadership is very concerned at Pervez Elahi's recent statements ranging from his contention that the former ISI chief General Shuja Pasha changed the loyalties of PML-Qs electables in favour of PTI in 2018 elections, support for allowing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to get medical treatment abroad without conditions and their friendly interaction with the JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Talking to Business Recorder, Kamil Ali Agha, the secretary-general of PML-Q, said that his party, being a coalition partner of the PTI, is not a part of any move 'aimed at a possible in-house change in Punjab or anywhere else'.
"At present, this is not an option on the table for the party...we have a track record that we never betray our 'friends'. However, as an independent party and a coalition partner we have the right to give an independent opinion and we will continue to do so," he added.
The sustained poor performance of Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar has been the subject of much criticism reportedly within the PTI and the establishment and he is increasingly being seen as the Prime Minister's Achilles Heel.
Pervez Elahi's recent comments coupled with PML-Q's previous close ties with the Musharraf led establishment are being viewed as indicative of general support for an in-house change in Punjab.
The math shows clearly that subject to the House of Sharif revisiting their opposition to the Chaudharys and offering the prize of chief minister to PML-Q, Punjab can easily fall.
PTI has a total of 181 seats in Punjab and is leading the country's largest province with 191 seats (including 10 seats of the PML-Q), making it critical for continuation of the PTI's provincial government.
The Chaudhrys of Gujrat can turn the tables on PTI with the help of 166 members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People's Party (PPP) 7, Pakistan Rah-e-Haq one and four independents, taking the number game to 191, the total strength of PTI's coalition government in Punjab.
Besides once the PTI is no longer in power in Punjab many would leave the party for whoever next forms the government, analysts maintained.
Analysts acknowledged that if truth be told the Chaudhrys have more in common with Nawaz Sharif, who in spite of differences, went to commiserate with the family on the death of Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain's mother in 2009 and the Chaudhrys visited Jaati Umra on the death of Kulsoom Nawaz last year; while Imran Khan has yet to visit Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain to ask about his health on his return after medical treatment abroad.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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