GUJRAT: In an important development on the political landscape of Gujrat, an MPA of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) Saleem Sarwar Jaura has reconciled with the PML-Q leadership.

Announcing that he had no more differences with the Chaudhrys, Mr Jaura hosted a dinner in the honour of senior PML-Q leader and federal minister for water resources Chaudhry Moonis Elahi at his house on last Monday.

Sources said that Mr Jaura had earlier called on the federal minister at latter’s Kunjah house around 10 days ago to sort out his differences, but the meetings were kept secret. A local businessman played a key role in the reconciliation between the two politicians, they added.

They said both Moonis Elahi and Jaura, who were MNA and MPA, respectively, from Gujrat city and its adjoining rural areas, had agreed to work together in consultation with each other.

Mr Jaura had been annoyed over PML-Q’s dominance in the administrative and developmental affairs of Gujrat and would often issue statements against the PTI coalition partners in the media over the last three years.

However, the Q leadership never responded to his criticism and showed restraint.

Confirming the reconciliation reports, the ruling party MPA, who is also parliamentary secretary for revenue, told Dawn that he had decided to work with the PML-Q leadership for the betterment of Gujrat as a lot time had already been wasted in the confrontational politics.

He, however, clarified that his meetings with Elahi had nothing to do with the future elections, nor he was joining the Q League.

Under a seat adjustment formula, the PTI supported the PML-Q candidates on two national and three provincial assembly seats of Gujrat Tehsil in 2018 general elections. In return, the Q league had supported the PTI aspirants on four provincial (including PP-31, Gujrat city) and two National Assembly seats of the district.

Recently, the lawmakers of ruling coalition, as well as the potential candidates from opposition parties had enhanced their contacts with the masses in their respective constituencies given the current political scenario in country.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, who is acting governor of Punjab these days, has also hosted a reception for his party workers at the Governor House, Lahore, on Wednesday where Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Mehtab Waseem, District Police Officer Umar Salamat and district heads of different departments were also present to listen the complaints of PML-Q workers.

Similarly, Mr Moonis visited the main commercial areas of the city on Oct 9 as part of his mass contact campaign.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2021