LAHORE - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Q, the two coalition partners in the Centre and Punjab, have come to an amicable settlement of their political disputes at the provincial level.
As a result of the rapprochement reached between the two sides yesterday, one PML-Q MPA, Mohammad Rizwan, is most likely to take oath as provincial minister on Friday (today).
Punjab Governor Ch Mohammad Sarwar and PML-Q leader Ch Moonis Elahi met here on Thursday to sort out differences over the issue of power-sharing in Punjab.
“The meeting ended on a positive note. The PTI government has agreed to fulfill its earlier commitment of inducting one more minister in the provincial cabinet”, PML-Q’s Secretary Information Kamil Ali Agha told The Nation.
He also said that as per the commitment made with Ch Moonis Elahi by the Punjab Governor, Bau Rizwan, a party MPA from Sialkot, will be taking oath as provincial minister on Friday (today). The PTI leadership, he added, has also agreed in principle to address all other reservations expressed by the PML-Q. “They have agreed to make regular consultation with our leadership on important issues and accept an equal status for our legislators in Punjab similar to that of PTI lawmakers.
Earlier, Senior PML-Q leaders, Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema and Ch Moonis Elahi also had a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar last week to end the differences. This paved the way for Thursday’s meeting with the Punjab Governor which remained successful.
Asked about any expected breakthrough in respect of coalition matters in the Centre, PML-Q’s Secretary Information said the negotiations were underway, but without any tangible outcome so far. The PTI, he said, was yet to honour its commitment with the PML-Q regarding induction of another federal minister in the cabinet.
Talking to the media at a function after Thursday’s meeting with Ch Moonis Elahi, the Punjab governor reiterated his earlier stance that the PTI would address the grievances of its coalition partner. He praised Ch Parvez Elahi yet again for his political acumen and said that Punjab coalition will remain intact till the next elections.
Following Thursday’s development, Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals Hafiz Ammar Yasir who had resigned couple of weeks ago, is most likely to resume his official responsibilities in a few days. Ammar, who belongs to the PML-Q, had resigned over alleged interference in his work by the officials in the chief minister’s secretariat.
Aleem retained in cabinet
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has decided to retain Aleem Khan in the provincial cabinet. His portfolio [Local government department] will remain with the Chief Minister till drop of all the charges against him by the anti-graft body.
Also, the legality of Aleem Khan’s resignation sent to the chief minister is questionable. Under Article 132(3) of the Constitution, a provincial minister intending to resign from his ministry has to submit his resignation with the provincial governor who is the competent authority to accept it. Aleem Khan, on the other hand, has addressed the Punjab Chief Minister in his letter also dispatching it at the wrong destination.
Legal experts think that Aleem Khan’s resignation in its present form could neither be rejected nor accepted unless it is addressed to the competent authority (Punjab Governor) as prescribed in the Constitution.