LAHORE - Chaudhrys of Gujrat, leading PML-Q, the second main Muslim League faction in the Punjab after PML-N, are going to resume struggle for their political life on Dec 31, by holding a workers’ convention at Chunian (Kasur).
PML-Q, which had otherwise restricted itself to limited or no activities after its defeat in 2013 polls, came to limelight once again as a key ally of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri as the latter launched ‘Inqilab March’ in August this year. But Qadri’s end to Inqilab sit-in in Islamabad, apparently without consulting PML-Q, compelled them to launch independent efforts to remain in the political picture.
In fact, the PML-Q high command thinks they will have to face the situation of another ‘political oblivion’ if they go back to the party barracks after what many party leaders termed “betrayal of Dr Qadri’s PAT”.
The top leadership of PML-Q had also made an effort to align with PTI, but no headway could be made in this regard. In the meantime, the tragic incident of Peshawar took place, which turned the direction of the entire politics towards dealing with the menace of terror.
The PML-Q top leadership, utilising the momentum of ‘Inqilaab Drive’, launched the party’s reorganisation drive by holding a workers’ convention at Bahawalpur on November 22 in a bid to remain relevant in the political scene.
However, following the tragic incident of Peshawar, the PML-Q leadership cancelled its political activities till December 30, which it would re-launch on December 31 by holding another workers’ convention at Chunian (Kasur).
Political pundits had claimed that PML-Q had held an impressive show in Bahawalpur on November 22 despite its shrinking size, which established the fact that PML-Q had made good use of its participation in the Inqilab March.
Veteran PML-Q leaders, commenting on the political life of the party in the current circumstances, said the party was making independent efforts to regain its lost glory, banking on the possible alliance of various Muslim League factions minus PML-N, in an effort for its resurgence.
They remarked: “We are making efforts to save the eggs which are still in the basket of PML-Q by generating the party activities through workers’ conventions under its reorganisation plan.
The PML-Q leaders added: “It is beyond doubt that Dr Qadri had betrayed us. However, after the Peshawar incident it is impossible for any political force to continue its activities as they are focusing on uniting the nation against terrorism.”
Kamil Ali Agha, Chaudharys’ close aide and the party’s central spokesman, talking about the political future of his party in a chat with The Nation on Wednesday, insisted: “We never depended on anyone for gaining political strength, but the other parties with which we allied in the recent past depended on our political advice. We can say that we and our former allies depended on each other for gaining common goals.”
About the party’s future plans, Kamil said, “We will re-launch our reorganisation drive on December 31 by holding workers’ convention at Chunian and announce other programmes.”
Wishing to revive the party under an alliance of various Muslim League factions, the PML-Q spokesman said, “All the genuine Leaguers want alliance of PML factions minus PML-N, but we are not depending on such a chance for the revival of the party as we are making independent efforts to achieve this target.”
He added: “Some Leaguers outside the spectrum of PML-N and a few belonging to them have contacted us for advancing the efforts for an alliance among the real Muslim Leaguers, but we are waiting for serious steps for this purpose.”
When asked how he rates his party position, he said, “It is the prerogative of the masses to rate our position among the other political parties and elections will be the barometer to assess the position of any political party.”
It may be mentioned here that PML-Q has two MNAs in the NA – Ch Pervaiz Elahi elected from NA-105 (Gujrat) and Tariq Bashir Cheema from NA-187 (Bahawalpur).
The six MPAs of PML-Q are: Ahmad Shah Khagga from PP-229 (Pakpattan), Ch Moonis Elahi from PP-110 (Gujrat), Ch Aamir Sultan Cheema from PP-32 (Sarghoda), Muhammad Afzal from PP-276 (Bahawalpur), Sardar Muhammad Asif Nakai from PP-183 (Kasur) and Sardar Waqas Hassan Mokal from PP-180 (Kasur).
Under the PML-Q reorganisation drive, it is focusing on the Punjab as the PML-Q high command has not announced similar plans for the other provinces. The party leaders claimed that plans for similar party reorganisation drive for the other provinces would be announced by the high command at a later stage.