The senior leadership of the PML (Q) is under immense pressure from party lower cadres to distance the party from former president General Pervez Musharraf (Retd) and re-organise the party at grass root level.
Even some central leaders raised their voice and asked the party leadership to evolve a strategy to get rid of the label of Pervez Musharraf, which has caused huge loss to the party during the last election, sources told Business Recorder.
These observations were made by the party leaders at the party Central Working Committee meeting held here on Thursday. Keeping in view the anti-Musharraf sentiment in the masses the party leadership should take steps to gain public support, the said.
The leaders also criticised the NRO and said former president went for the "shameful" deal despite their opposition. "Musharraf's political chapter is closed. PML would have to do its own politics now" sources quoted Mushahid Hussain Syed secretary general of the party as saying during the meeting.
He also criticised Musharraf decision to cancel his visit to China on the eve of Beijing Olympics saying former President had lost 40 percent psychological war the day he made this decision despite PML-Q leaders pressed him not to cancel it.
Mushahid was of the view that party should be reorganised at district and tehsil levels. Sources said Former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Ellahi in his speech said Musharraf took them into confidence before resigning. He said party will remain united and play effective role in National Assembly and Senate. Sources said Ellahi told participants that he would be visiting 35 districts of Punjab and hold workers' conventions.
Sheikh Waqas Akram who had a brawl with Riaz Fatiyana that led to latter's walkout from the meeting asked the party leadership to take strict action against party discipline violators, sources said. "It does not matter if any one leaves the party. No party member should attend Prime Minister's receptions without party leaderships consent" Akram said referring to PML-Q MNAs recent meetings with Gilani.
Sources said S M Zafar was of the view that the party should adopt popular stance and avail every chance to criticise the PPP led government over NRO and price hike. He also suggested that party might hold long march against the government on these issues at some later stage, sources added.
An insider said Farooq Ahmed Khan Legari criticised both Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif during the meeting and termed them as "looters and plunderers" who according to him came to power after striking US backed deals with former President.
Later addressing a press conference PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said party would remain intact and continue to play its role in opposition. To a question he said there will be no constitutional amendment to nullify 58(2)B if next president comes from PPP. He ruled out any alliance with the PML (N) in Punjab where the latter is in power.