| Zardari says Elahi cannot become Punjab CM | Asserts opposition will decide who will become new CM Punjab | Blames Nawaz for late decision on PML-Q demand | Sanaullah holds Moonis responsible for PML-Q’s conclusion
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leadership for remaining a part of the ruling coalition and said Chaudhry Pervez Elahi can never become the chief minister of Punjab as he lacks the required votes.
Addressing a press conference alongside PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Balochistan-based MNA Aslam Bhootani, Zardari said they invited the Q-League to become part of their movement to ‘save Pakistan’ but due to its shortsightedness, the Punjab-based party went to the other side.
“Pervaiz Elahi can never become the chief minister of Punjab as he doesn’t have the required votes,” he said, adding that the change of hearts by the Chaudhrys was perplexing. He said the next chief minister will be from the opposition as it has the required number in the province.
In response to a question, Zardari said he relieved that the establishment “was neutral”.
Speaking on the occasion, PPP Chairperson Bilawal said it was the habit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to level false accusations and added the opposition has more than enough numbers to dislodge Imran Khan. He said the PPP wanted to have “long-lasting relations with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P)” for the uplift of Karachi.
Aslam Bhootani said he has also joined the opposition alliance for the sake of Zardari. “I am hugely indebted to Zardari and I will go anywhere he will ask me,” he added.
The statement comes in the wake of a deal between the ruling PTI and the Punjab-based party wherein Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed to give the coveted slot of the Punjab chief minister to Pervaiz Elahi in return for the support on the no-confidence motion submitted by the opposition.
The deal reportedly prompted a rift within the party with Tariq Bashir Cheema revolting against the decision and announcing to vote against PM Imran. Cheema also resigned from the federal cabinet, giving rise to speculations regarding a rift in the Chaudhrys of Gujrat.
In response to the reports in the media about the rift, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said all decisions were taken after consultations with him. “I endorse all these decisions,” he said, adding that the “rumours” making rounds in the media were false.
Meanwhile, referring to Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q)’s decision to ‘support’ the incumbent government in the no-confidence motion, PML-Nawaz stalwart Rana Sanaullah claimed on Tuesday that this was the “first such incident in the political career of Chaudhrys that happened due to Moonis Elahi; the PML-Q has never otherwise taken such decisions”.
Talking to reporters, Sanaullah said Moonis Elahi was part of the last meeting. “We asked Moonis Elahi to let go of the demand of chief ministership, but he said the PML-Q will remain ‘silent unless it is given the CMship’ [of Punjab].”
He further said that the joint opposition tabled a no-confidence motion against Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar – who tendered his resignation a day earlier – at the PML-Q’s request.
The PML-N leader said the last two meetings will be important after which the Q-League would vote for the opposition over the no-trust vote against PM Imran Khan.
PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari will call on Pervaiz Elahi today to change his mind, he added.
The PML-Q has 10 votes while the PML-N has 165 votes, said Sanaullah, adding that Pervaiz Elahi could not be nominated for the post of the CM. He said the PML-N took every step after due consultation.
Speaking about the politics in Punjab, Sanaullah said the group led by Jahangir Khan Tareen has 10-12 votes. Similarly, a new faction that is unhappy with the resignation of Buzdar has emerged. The PML-N leadership will decide about the future strategy, he added.
PTI has six days
Speaking about the PTI government, he said the incumbent government had six days left in power. He added that the dissident lawmakers were unhappy with the PTI for more than two years and the impression that they were bought off was wrong.
“Our numbers are complete without the dissenting lawmakers,” he said, adding that Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Ali Wazir – who has been in jail for over a year – will also “be allowed to cast vote”.
The PML-N leader said the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) also supported the joint opposition and three lawmakers from PML-Q also stood with the opposition parties. “Probably, we will not even need the dissenting MNAs of the ruling party,” he said, adding that five of the dissenting MNAs were elected independently.
Speaking about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Sanaullah said political dialogue was underway with the party. “Political parties are free to decide,” he said, adding that there was no “non-political interference” at this point.
The PML-N leader further observed that some dissenting lawmakers said that they would support the opposition if it needed a couple of votes. He said the brother of PTI’s senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi has joined the JUI-F.
“The only respectable option left for the government is to resign,” he added.
