GUJRAT: The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) cheif and former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has predicted a coalition government in the Centre as a result of Feb 8 election in the country.

He said this while talking to Dawn at Nutt House, the residence of his brother Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, here on Wednesday.

Former federal minister Wajahat Hussain and PML-Q nominees Salik Hussain and Hussain Elahi, who are the party candidates from NA-64 and NA-63, respectively, were also present.

The Q chief reached his home town on Tuesday, the last day of the election campaign, but surprisingly he did not stay at Zahoor Elahi House in Gujrat city and preferred to stay at his younger brother’s house in their native Nutt village.

Party sources attribute this to the controversies surrounding the ownership of the family’s ancestral house.

Shujaat said that as a family elder it was his obligation to ask everybody to stay calm and never use foul or uncivilised language against each other over difference of opinion on politics.

“I ask those who use uncivilised language against me or my sons that what wrong we have done to them” said the ex-PM and added that he had appealed everybody to show restraint, as there was no hindrance for any of his siblings or cousins to contact him.

When asked why his all the six sisters are not supporting him and siding with Parvez Elahi camp, Shujaat’s son Salik claimed that both sisters and brothers of Parvez Elahi were supporting Shujaat, while all three sons of late Zahoor Elahi were also united under the Q chief.

At least seven members of Zahoor Elahi family, including two women, are contesting election from three NA and as many PA constituencies of Gujrat district.

In the absence of the party chief Shujaat Hussain in Gujrat due to health-related issues, Chaudhry Wajahat had been heading the election campaign of the party aspirants in the district.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2024