GUJRAT: The PML-Q may not quit assemblies even if the PTI decides to do so, says a senior leader of the party.

He said the senior coalition partner (PTI) had not yet solicited the PML-Q view over the proposal that was discussed in Islamabad on Friday. Moreover, he said, it was not a viable option at the moment.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed and some other leaders are pressing the PM to resign from NA and provincial assemblies of Punjab and KP to build momentum for immediate fresh election.

He said National Assembly members belonging to the PML-Q could not attend the parliamentary party meeting of the coalition partners held in Islamabad due to their hectic engagements in Lahore to muster support of Punjab Assembly members for Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, the joint candidate of the ruling coalition for the chief minister slot.

He said some elements from the opposition had tried to approach his party in the wake of ongoing political impasse in Punjab and Centre. “Such elements have been conveyed categorically that the PML-Q stood with Imran Khan and PTI firmly.

Answering a question about reported differences among Chaudharys over political strategy, he said the party chief Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain and his scion MNA Salik Hussain were fully backing the candidature of Pervez Elahi.

However, political observers say Salik Hussain has not been visible in the party’s ongoing campaign for the top slot in Punjab.

However, Punjab PML-Q information secretary Mian Imran Masood said that there were no differences within the party and all the senior party leaders and lawmakers were active to get Elahi elected as Punjab CM.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2022