ISLAMABAD: In wake of the ongoing no-trust hype, Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to meet the Chaudhry cousins in a bid to garner their support against the no-trust motion submitted against him by the opposition.
In this context, Brig (retd) Ejaz Shah, a former spy master who had served with the premier intelligence agencies of the country back in Gen Musharraf regime, also held crucial meeting with Chaudhrys, and sough their support against the no-confidence motion.
Shah, who enjoys good terms with Chaudhary cousins, is a key member of Prime Minister Khan cabinet, and is heading the narcotics control ministry, seemed quite confident after meeting the Chaudhrys, but sped away without talking to media.
The sources said that the meeting between Brig Shah and the Chaudhrys ended on a happy note, as they duo requested him for some time to make a decision after consultation with other senior party leaders.
Well-placed sources told Business Recorder that the prime minister has decided to meet Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi, on the insistence of his party’s senior leadership.
They said that the support of Chaudhrys is quite crucial to “throw out” the opposition’s no-confidence motion, adding what the prime minister will offer them for their support is yet to be decided. “If the opposition can make tall claims, why can’t the government accept the demands of the Chaudharys? Give and take is nothing new in politics and I think, we should take our allies on board,” said a senior PTI leader who declined to be named.
Chaudhary Moonis Elahi and Chaudhry Salik Hussain were also present in the meeting.
Earlier, Ejaz Chaudhry, PTI MPA from Punjab also held a meeting with Chaudhrys, and conveyed the message of the prime minister.
According to sources, the PTI MPA said that the prime minister had great respect for Chaudhrys and he is a “great admirer of their political acumen”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmoood Qureshi and Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar visited the Parliament Lodges and met with Khalid Magsi, the parliamentary leader of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). The other lawmakers of the BAP were also present in the meeting.
The sources said that the meeting was quite fruitful and the party sought some time from the prime minister for further consultation with other party leaders.
The prime minister also held meetings with lawmakers belonging to Grand democratic Alliance (GDA) of Pir Pagara, which is an ally of the ruling PTI.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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