Shujat’s spokesperson questions legality of party’s CWC meeting.
LAHORE - In a bid to preempt any adverse move by Ch Shujat Hussain, the party faction led by Ch Parvez Elahi on Thursday called a meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) which recommended removal of Ch Shujat and Tariq Bashir Cheema from the party through intra-party elections.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that the decision to expel Ch Shujat from the party has been taken owing to his deteriorating health. “Ch Shujat’s heath is affecting the party decisions and it has been decided to remove him from the party”, he said, adding that Tariq Bashir Cheema, the party secretary general, would also be removed as per recommendations of the party’s CWC.
Kamil Agha who chaired the meeting further stated that a five-member Election Commission had been constituted to elect new office bearers of the party including the new party president. “The intra-party elections will be held within ten days”, he added.
The move comes days after Ch Shujat directed members of PML-Q’s parliamentary meeting in Punjab Assembly to vote for Hamza Shehbaz Sharif instead of Ch Parvez Elahi in the election for Punjab chief minister held on July 22 on the orders of the Supreme Court. Subsequently, Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari declared Hamza Shehbaz elected as CM after subtracting 10 votes of the PML-Q MPAs.
However, the Supreme Court later declared Ch Parvez Elahi as the elected chief minister after setting aside the deputy speaker’s ruling. It has been learnt that Ch Parvez Elahi’s camp had the fear that Ch Shujat might also write yet another letter to the Assembly speaker and the Election Commission of Pakistan to de-seat the party MPAs for voting against the directions of the party head. Article 63-A of the Constitution empowers the party head to initiate the process for disqualification of the party members who vote in violation of the party line.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for Ch Shujat Hussain questioned the very legality of the meeting which he said cannot be called without the consent of the party head