| Hamza contacts Moonis by phone for a meeting to discuss in-house change | MQM delegation meets Shehbaz Sharif, Chaudhrys of 
Gujrat in Lahore | Parvez Elahi says we are with Imran Khan

LAHORE    -   What transpired on Tuesday after two important political meetings in Lahore was that the two government allies, the PML-Q and the MQM would adopt a “wait and see” approach on the Opposition’s move to oust the PTI government through a vote of no-confidence. 

A visiting MQM delegation held meetings with top leaders of the PML-Q and the PML-N apparently to express gratitude over the two parties’ support on the issue of Sindh Local Government act and other matters.

The MQM delegation which called on the PML-Q president Ch Shujat Hussain and Acting Punjab governor Ch Parvez Elahi at their residence was led by deputy convener Amir Khan, former mayor of Karachi Wasim Akhtar and Sadiq Iftikhar. Federal Ministers Tariq Bashir Cheema, Moonis Elahi, MNA Salik Hussain, Shafay Hussain, Rana Khalid and Abid Gujjar were also present in the meeting.

During the meeting, issues of mutual interest including the political situation in the country were discussed in detail and it was agreed to move ahead with mutual consultation especially on local body elections and other important issues. The delegation also inquired about the health of Ch Shujat Hussain.

Later talking to the media, Ch Parvez Elahi and Amir Khan said that they were standing with the government as allied parties despite reservations over the rising inflation and the other issues. But when the media persons sought their comments on the question of supporting or otherwise of the possible no-confidence motion against the prime minister, they did not say in categorical terms that they would stand with the government. 

Asked whether or not the PML-Q will support the in-house change Parvez Elahi said: “Primarily, this question should be put to the Opposition. So far, it is a mere gossip; the contours of this move are not clear yet, nothing is clear as yet…At this stage, they [Opposition parties] are just busy gathering the ‘ingredients’ in the kitchen [to cook the meal] …nothing is cooked as yet…Do you want us to eat the raw meal?”

On being pressed again on the same question, Parvez Elahi said: “We’ll see what is [eventually] cooked up [in the Opposition’s pot] and then decide”. He said nothing of the sort was discussed in today’s meeting with MQM leaders. “Two years [of government tenure] are still remaining”, he said. 

He further stated that PML-Q was an ally of the government and wanted the government to complete its term. “But we keep giving advice to the government to get the people out of problems. As an ally, it is our duty to make suggestions for the solution of public problems.

We try to correct the government whenever they do something wrong. And we have set many things right so far”. He went on to say: “We put forward solid suggestions [before the government] and try to get them implemented”.

Asked to comment on the performance of the government, Ch Parvez Elahi smilingly said: “It is obvious from our statements”.  

To a question about his meeting with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, the PML-Q leader said he [Zardari] had come to inquire after the health of Ch Shujat Hussain.  “We are with Imran Khan, Asif Zardari had come yesterday to inquire after Ch Shujat Hussain”, he said. 

Asked to comment on PTI’s move to make some old PML-Q members to join the ruling party, Parvez Elahi smiled and said: “We have enrolled more of their members in our party than they have done”.   

Reacting to another question, Ch Parvez Elahi said that the inclusion of opposition in the legislation of the local government system was a welcome step. 

On a question put to Parvez Elahi about PML-Q’s federal minister, Tariq Bashir Cheema himself replied that there was no question of stopping him to meet Imran Khan when he visited Bahawalpur. “I did not go there. I was tested positive for corona the same day and I informed the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary about my absence”, he clarified. 

When the same question about supporting no-confidence motion by the Opposition was put to MQM’s Amir Khan, he repeated the words of Ch Parvez Elahi and said: “It [No-confidence motion] is still in the process of being cooked as said by Ch Parvez Elahi. We will decide on it later”. He also said: “We and Chaudhry Sahiban are part of the government. But whatever decision we take, it will be taken with mutual consultation”.

He added that all political parties were free to make decisions of their choice. “We have our own ideologies and manifestoes”, he said.

To a question if the MQM wanted a greater share in power, Amir Khan said his party was in no mood to increase its share in the coalition government at the Center. “We have just one ministry, and we are not even interested in that ministry”, he added. He also said that his party had some complaints against the PTI government, but they were still supporting it.   

In his initial conversation with the media, Amir Khan said that they had come to ask about the welfare of Ch Shujat Hussain.  “He is a senior and experienced politician”, he said. 

In a related development, the MQM delegation also called on PML-N president Mian Shehbaz Sharif at his Model Town residence on Tuesday. 

Talking to the media after the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif said that he had requested the PQM leaders to come out of the ruling alliance since the present government had lost trust of the people. 

“I told them that undoubtedly, you are an ally of the government; but you are a Pakistani in the first place. In the light of present circumstances, you will have to think like a Pakistani first and an ally later”, he said about his conversation with the MQM delegation.  

Shehbaz said that time was running short for the MQM to decide. “If you don’t take a timely decision, the nation will ask questions”, he said, and added: “In politics, today’s ally can be an adversary tomorrow and vice versa”. 

Shehbaz said that a no-confidence motion was a constitutional option. The people want to get rid of this government, he said, adding that it would be unfair to give more time to the government. 

Reacting to Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal, MQM deputy convener Amir Khan said that the Opposition should come up with a clear-cut agenda and then the PQM take a decision in the national interest. 

He said nothing was clear from the Opposition’s side [on the no-confidence motion] so far. “The issue is yet to be discussed at the PDM platform [for a final decision]. But we will keep the PML-N’s suggestion before the party’s coordination committee and whatever decision is made, it will be for the betterment of Pakistan. But one thing is clear that we all must take collective decisions in future”, he maintained. 

To a question, he said that there were no two opinions that the common man was reeling under the impact of rising inflation. He said his party had its reservations over the rising prices of commodities. 

PML-N contacts PML-Q

Also, the PML-N on Tuesday contacted the PML-Q leadership seeking time for a meeting in the next couple of days, it has been learnt. 

Sources said that a meeting between the top leadership of the two parties was likely any time this week to discuss the current political situation and the Opposition’s move to topple the government.  

Though the two sides neither denied nor confirmed the development, sources that Hamza Shehbaz Sharif contacted Moonis Elahi on phone to explore the possibility of a meeting between the two parties on the issue of an in-house change in the centre. A source said that the PML-N had decided to contact the allied parties of the government in line with the decisions made in the party’s CEC on Monday.