LAHORE: While the PML-N is active on political front backdoor contacts between the PML-N and PML-Q are underway and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet the Chaudhry brothers in Lahore soon, it has been learnt.
Sources claimed that contacts between the leadership of the two parties have been revived and programme is being devised ahead of Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the residence of former PM Chaudhry Shujat Hussain.
It may be noted that the PML-N Central Executive Committee had already authorized Shehbaz Sharif to establish contacts with political parties before tabling no-trust move against Imran Khan. There are reports that the PML-N president is likely to visit the residence of the PML-Q leadership on Sunday but nobody from both the parties confirmed it.
The sources claimed that the PML-N leaders already held a secret meeting with PTI senior leader Jehangir Tareen and home work is being made ahead of Shehbaz Sharif’s likely meeting with Tareen. The PML-N is active and ready to meet everyone in the political struggle aimed at ousting Imran led government; however, all parties are playing their cards close to their chest, the sources added.
Moreover, the PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz said on Friday that there was no need to approach estranged PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen group to seek its support for a no-trust motion against the government since it was already ready to oust the government.
Maryam told a private TV channel that steps were being taken to further broaden the PML-N’s base and to make it more proactive; the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was daily chairing the party’s meetings from London via a video link. “Whatever role is assigned to me by party president Shehbaz Sharif, I will perform it diligently and with complete honesty,” Maryam resolved.
The PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujat Hussain already said that meetings are being held with all party leaders. “My only request to all is that political matters should not be limited to meetings but together make a plan for the people, that will benefit the people,” he said. Shujat said that the policies of political parties affect the people; political parties have to identify public problems and make practical plans for their solution.
Punjab Assembly Speaker and PML-Q senior leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, while talking to former MPA from Jhang Sheikh Yaqub, ticket holders and independent candidates, urged the opposition parties to play their role for strengthening democracy in the country and serving the poor. “The country could not afford a political crisis at this point of time. Each and every individual will have to play his part for providing relief to the masses,” he said, adding: “The PML-Q had their eyes on the current political situation in the country. Right now, the political landscape is murky and when that landscape becomes clear, our strategy will become clear too. For the PML-Q, the country’s and people’s interests are of paramount importance. The party has always raised voice for the resolution of the issues confronting the masses.”
Sheikh Yaqub, Begum Rashida Yaqub, Haji Riaz Jatt from Gujranwala, Abdul Qadeer Awan, independent candidate for PP-118, Khalid Warraich, independent candidate for NA-111, Bilal Asghar Warraich and others also announced their decision to join the PML-Q.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022