GUJRAT: Senior PML-Q leader and former federal minister Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain thinks it is too early to talk about the seat adjustment between the PML-Q and the PML-N in Gujrat and other parts of Punjab as he does not foresee election in the near future. He says many things in national politics have to be settled before going into the general election, particularly improving the economy that has been a major challenge to the country.

However, he says the PML-Q is more interested in broadening its scope in Punjab and other parts of Pakistan as a number of former and incumbent lawmakers who have either left the PTI or may announce quitting it in the coming days have been in touch with the PML-Q leadership to join the party. Two former PML-Q MPAs from Gujrat, Abdullah Yousaf and Khalid Asghar Ghural, have also rejoined the party last month.

Wajahat was talking to Dawn at his Nutt House residence here on Sunday where he hosted a reception in honour of the former union council representatives, party officials and supporters from his constituency, NA-68 Jalalpur Jattan-Tanda.

Member of Azad Kashmir legislative assembly and former minister of AJ&K Chaudhry Akbar Ibrahim and Wajahat’s son Chaudhry Musa Elahi were also present on the occasion.

Wajahat says it’s too early to broach subject of seat adjustment with PML-N

Wajahat and Musa arrived at their hometown for the first time on Sunday after rejoining the PML-Q by severing ties with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) as his elder son MNA Hussain Elahi too has recently announced rejoining the PML-Q following his father; however, the MNA has been abroad for the last few months.

Wajahat told the scribe that the PML-Q had very good candidates to pitch on all the national and provincial assemblies seats of Gujrat and as far as the question of making a seat adjustment with any other party in next elections was concerned, the decision of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would be honoured since he had been in contact with the stakeholders. He said since the PML-Q had been a coalition partner with the PML-N-led federal government, the party chief believed in developing understanding with the coalition partners in running the administrative and political affairs of Gujrat district.

It is pertinent to mention that PML-N MNA Abid Raza Kotla had expressed reservations at his party forums over the dominance of scions of Shujaat Hussain in Gujrat district and now Wajahat Hussain, considered to be a key player in running the family politics of the Chaudhrys, may take a central stage in the district. The Shujaat-led PML-Q has so far remained a part of PPP, PTI and PML-N-led governments in the centre and the party leaders believe their party still has a chance to be the part of any future coalition government.

Responding to another question, Wajahat Hussain said he and other party and family elders had a wish to win back the support of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and Moonis Elahi into the PML-Q as the unity in the family as well as the party would produce better results in the future politics.

He admitted that merger of the PML-Q faction with the PTI was a mistake as keeping the title of the Muslim League was their identity which should not have been lost; however, he reiterated that he had never joined the PTI.

Asked whether Musa Elahi would contest from NA 71 (Sara-i-Alamgir-Kotla) in the next election, he said clarity on political fronts would decide many things but he and his son had been in contact with the supporters in that constituency.

Responding to a question, he said he and Musa had been booked in bogus and fabricated cases.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2023