PM taken on board: Zardari, Shujaat discuss chances of bringing new CM

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari met PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain here on Tuesday and discussed no-confidence motion and vote of confidence by CM Parvez Elahi besides other important issues concerning Punjab political situation.

This was the second meeting between two veteran politicians in two consecutive days after the PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced to dissolve the Punjab Assembly. Both also expressed the resolve to bring their Chief Minister in Punjab, sources said.

Both held detailed discussions on Punjab political scenario and also took Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on board through a telephonic call during the meeting, said the sources. “Both underscored the need of political and economic stability and finalised strategy for the vote of no confidence against Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.”

PPP leader Nasir Hussain Shah and PML-N Malik Ahmad Khan briefed the PML-Q and PPP leaders on important issues. Federal Ministers Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Tariq Bashir were also present. It may be noted that federal minister Salik Hussain also met Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the political situation. He gave his father Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s message to Asif Zardari.

The sources claimed that option of approaching the court of law was also discussed if the PTI Speaker caused hindrance in the Punjab Assembly session on Wednesday (today).

On the other hand, Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan Tuesday declared as illegal the PA special session called by Governor Balighur Rehman directing CM Pervaiz Elahi to obtain vote of confidence from the assembly on Wednesday (today). The Punjab Assembly Secretariat is learnt to have declined to issue the Gazette notification regarding the session called by the governor.

Speaker Sibtain Khan was of the view that the Punjab Assembly was already in session. “I do not consider the governor’s decision to call a new session a right one. It’s illegal and unconstitutional,” he added.

He argued that a new session could not be called when the assembly was already in session. Neither a special session will be called nor a gazette notification will be issued, he said, adding: “Neither lawmakers will be notified, nor motion will be submitted and chief minister will not seek a vote of confidence.”

After Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman asked Punjab CM Parvez Elahi to seek a vote of confidence from the assembly, the number game in the Punjab Assembly is once again in the spotlight. Parvez Elahi needs the magic number of 186 in the 371-strong House to show majority and thwart PML-N’s attempt to remove him from the office.

The PTI-PML-Q alliance has a total of 190 votes (180 +10). On the other hand, the opposition alliance has the support of 180 lawmakers, including 167 from the PML-N, seven from the PPP, five independent lawmakers, and one from the Rah-i-Haq Party.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022