| Says govt adding insult to injury;
making issues out of non-issues
Party members authorise Parvez Elahi to take any decision
LAHORE - Deciding to adopt ‘a wait-and-see’ approach, the PML-Q on Sunday stopped short of making a ‘big decision’ on the most vital question of whether to stay in the coalition or to sit on the opposition benches in a situation when the government, according to the allies, is fast losing the confidence of the people owing to the worst inflation and bad governance.
A major ally of the ruling PTI in the centre and in Punjab, the PMLQ held three consecutive meetings of its central committee and the parliamentary party in the last three days to ponder over the current political situation and take important decisions. The parliamentary party of the PM-Q which met here under the chairmanship of Punjab Assembly Speaker Ch Parvez Elahi ended without taking any major decision about its future relationship with the ruling PTI. Following a lengthy debate, the party members authorised Ch Parvez Elahi to take any decision keeping in view the prevailing situation.
A source privy to the meeting told The Nation that a final decision about any future cooperation with the government has been deferred till the outcome of a meeting which is likely to take place between the allies and the government representatives on Monday (today). The government has convened this meeting in a bid to remove the reservations of the allied parties on its legislative agenda which includes the electoral reforms and the NAB ordinance.
Sources said that the PML-Q will not show its cards now as it would like to see the response from other government allies, the MQM and the GDA who are also weighing their options to arrive at some decision.
A news release issued at the end of Sunday’s meeting of the PML-Q said that members of the parliamentary party expressed concern over the rising inflation, unemployment, bad law and order situation and other issues. They were unanimous on the point that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the party to remain part of the government any longer. They also voiced their discontent over the depreciation Pakistani rupee against the US dollar and the rising cost of gas and electricity.
The meeting also expressed the shared opinion that the government had failed to end the miseries of the common man; and to add insult to the injury, it was making issues out of non-issues. How could the elected representatives face their electorate in the present situation? They asked.
The PML-Q legislators also stressed upon the government to make sincere efforts to resolve the problems of the people. “If the common man does not get any relief, the situation may change from bad to worse”, they warned.
Federal Ministers Tariq Bashir Cheema, Moonis Elahi, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Members of National Assembly Salik Hussain, Hussain Elahi, Mrs. Farrukh Khan, Provincial Ministers Hafiz Ammar Yasir, Bao Rizwan, Members of Punjab Assembly Sajid Ahmad Khan Bhatti, Abdullah Yousuf Warraich, Dr. Muhammad Afzal, Ehsanul Haq Chaudhry, Shujahat Nawaz Ajnala, Khadija Omar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly member Mufti Obaid-ur-Rehman and Muslim League leader Shafay Hussain were also present in the meeting.