GUJRAT: Pakistan Mus­lim League (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday called upon the government and the opposition to shun their differences and sit together to chalk out a strategy to address the economic crisis faced by Pakistan.

Talking to Dawn, the veteran politician disagreed with former prime minister Imran Khan’s demand for immediate elections, saying snap polls were not a solution to the economic woes.

In another suggestion, Mr Hussain proposed that in case someone disagreed over who would chair the joint dialogue, then the meeting should be chaired by figures from all camps on a rotational basis.

“If somebody still thinks that snap elections are the solution to the challenges of poverty and poor economy, then elections should be called within one week,” Mr Hussain said while referring to his proposal seeking a grand dialogue.

Speaking about the appointment of the army chief, the PML-Q president said that the matters relating to the army chief’s appointment or its internal affairs should not be interfered with as politics should stay away from the matters of the armed forces.

Mr Hussain also spoke about efforts to iron out differences in the Chaudhry household. He said his family’s well-wishers were making efforts to unite the family. I want the entire family to contest the next general elections on one platform in Gujrat; however, if somebody would not agree, it should be taken as a difference of opinion instead of rivalry.

In response to a question about his letter endorsing the nomination of Hamza Shehbaz against his cousin Parvez Elahi, Shujaat Hussain said as per the agreement reached with the PDM, Mr Elahi was supposed to be the joint candidate of the multi-party alliance, but he declined the offer on the eleventh hour. “It was due to that pledge I had to write the letter,” he added.

Earlier this month, Parvez Elahi also hinted at some background efforts to hammer out the differences within the party.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2022