GUJRAT: The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), an important ally of the ruling PTI in the Centre and Punjab, has quietly launched a fresh drive to rope in more electables with an aim to consolidate the party position in Punjab ahead of the next general elections.

At the same time, the party is committed to continue working with the PTI and does not want to annoy the senior coalition partner in the wake of some recent meetings of its leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi with some senior leaders of opposition parties in Lahore, says senior PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi while talking to Dawn.

Asked if his party’s efforts to lure political heavyweights in Punjab is a sort of preparations for early vote, he said it was too early to discuss this issue. The PML-Q, he added, had advised the PTI government to get mega uplift schemes completed prior to the next general elections.

According to Moonis, every political party had the right to strive for strengthening itself at the constituency as well as gross roots level. “That is why the PML-Q has planned to win the support of politically influential families and groups in central and south Punjab as well as reorganising the party folds in those areas.”

Adding, he said that his party had focused on completing mega uplift schemes prior to the next elections.

He said the PML-Q had brought an uplift package of Rs 10 billion for Gujrat. Responding to question, Moonis said talking about his party’s future electoral alliance was also too early. “But the PML-Q and PPP had a comfortable working relationship in an earlier coalition.”

The PML-Q had won four national assembly and eight Punjab assembly seats from Gujrat, Chakwal, Bahawalpur and Daska (Sialkot) districts with one reserve seat for women in NA and two in PA in 2018 and then joined the PTI-led coalition government.

The party has so far won the loyalty of a number of political heavyweights and influential families of former lawmakers in various parts of Punjab, particularly in Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh, Gujranwala, Vehari, Khanewal and Jhang.

Groups of former federal minister Liaquat Abbas Bhatti, the uncle of PTI MNA Shaukat Bhatti and brother of ex-MNA Mehdi Bhatti have joined the PML-Q from Hafizabad, former federal minister Shahid Akram Bhinder from Gujranwala, former federal minister Mushtaq Cheema from Faisalabad, ex-MPAs from Samundri (Faisalabad) Arif Gill and Mazhar Gill.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2021