ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is all set to announce his party’s long march onto Islamabad today (Friday), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman on Thursday dashed to Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s residence to seek his support in case of any crack within the government allies.

The sources privy to the development said that Hussain who is the chief of the PML-Q assured Zardari that his son Chaudhary Salik Hussian and Tariq Bashir Cheema would not quit the coalition.

“Rest assured, they [Salik, Cheema] will not quit the coalition,” Chaudhary Shujaat was quoted as telling Zardari.

In wake of the no-confidence motion against the then prime minister Imran Khan in March, the PML-Q clearly split into two groups as party secretary general Tariq Bashir Cheema and MNA Salik Hussain joined Shehbaz-led federal government, whereas, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and three party MNAs firmly stood with the PTI.

A statement issued by the PPP after the meeting said that Zardari thanked Hussain for his full support of the coalition government.

Zardari said that Hussain is a very important ally of the government and the PPP would continue consultations with him.

The PPP co-chairman also took the PML-Q chief into confidence on the current political situation.

Federal Ministers Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Tariq Bashir Cheema, Chaudhry Shafi Hussain, and PML-Q MNA Farrukh Khan were also present in the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022