LAHORE: As the race for Punjab’s top office gains full momentum, it emerged that the opposition is unlikely to field PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif’s son, Hamza, against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate for the chief minister’s slot, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.

Meanwhile, disgruntled PTI stalwart Jahangir Khan Tareen reportedly met former premier Nawaz Sharif and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar in London on Wednesday, and discussed the heated political situation back home.

“The Punjab politics with regards to the opposition’s candidate for the chief ministership was also discussed,” a party insider told Dawn on Wednesday.

“While Shehbaz Sharif is going to replace Prime Minister Imran Khan once the no-confidence motion succeeds, his son, Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza, is not being considered for the top post in Punjab,” said the insider, who is privy to the development.

He said Shehbaz did not want his son to become the CM for an interim period only. “The PML-N leadership will finalise a suitable candidate for the position after taking the PPP and the Tareen group on board once the joint opposition manages to oust the premier through the no-trust motion,” he said.

Shehbaz doesn’t want seat for Hamza in interim period; Tareen meets Nawaz, Dar in London

PM Khan had announced Parvez Elahi as the PTI’s nominee for the Punjab CM after incumbent Usman Buzdar tendered his resignation. However, Mr Buzdar’s resignation was yet to be accepted.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said the joint opposition will field its candidate for the CM’s office after consultations. The PPP has seven seats in the Punjab Assembly.

“A couple of leaders from Punjab have requested Mr Zardari to speak to Nawaz Sharif to give the seat to the PPP for an interim period,” a party leader said.

On the other hand, PML-N MNA Khwaja Saad Rafique told a private TV channel that his party would soon finalise the opposition’s candidate for the chief minister’s office. But in the same breath, he said the need probably might not arise, indicating that the opposition was still in talks with the Chaudhrys of the PML-Q.

Mr Rafique also claimed that the opposition was over 200-member strong in the Punjab Assembly. “Both the Tareen and Aleem groups will not vote for Mr Elahi,” he proclaimed.

Moreover, Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazl also said doors were still open for those who hadn’t joined the opposition yet, in a reference to the Chaudhrys.

On the other hand, the PTI camp believes Mr Elahi’s fate is connected with the result of the no-confidence motion against PM Khan in the National Assembly. “If the premier loses, it will be very difficult for Mr Elahi to secure the chief minister’s office. However, since the PML-Q leader enjoys good relations with the establishment, it may intervene to help him, as it was not happy with PM Khan for sticking to Buzdar,” a source said, adding that disgruntled PTI leader Aleem Khan, who recently called on Nawaz Sharif in London, had also presented himself as the CM candidate before the PML-N leadership.

“Aleem has been asked to first show the support of a significant number of MPAs besides seeking an endorsement from Jahangir Tareen,” the source added.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2022