Schism within PML-Q grows as ECP verdict goes in Shujaat’s favour

LAHORE: The internal differences within the ranks of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) have further widened after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday declared Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as the president of the PML-Q.

Parvez Elahi, the former chief minister of Punjab, had orchestrated the removal of Shujaat as party president.

In July, 2022, PML-Q’s Central Working Committee (CWC) decided to release Shujaat from the duties of party president, citing health concerns. The decision to remove Shujaat from the party command was taken at a CWC meeting headed by Senator Kamil Ali Agha.

However, Shujaat approached the ECP over the matter and it had retained the former prime minister as the president of the party till the petition was dealt with.

It may be noted that the PML-Q was divided into two groups over the issue of joining hands with the PTI and PML-N. Parvez Elahi, his son Moonis and most of the party leader sided with the PTI while Chaudhry Shujaat, Salik Hussain and Tariq Bashir Cheema supported the PML-N.

Reacting to the ECP’s judgment, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Tuesday the fascist mindset that planned to remove Chaudhry Shujaat as the PML-Q president was defeated.

In a tweet, she congratulated PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and said the order of the Election Commission of Pakistan was a message that the decisions would be made in the light of the Constitution and the law, not in darkness.

The fascism of burning, demolishing, killing, picking up and throwing away was not imposed in the country now, she said. Now everything would be done according to the constitution and law, Aurangzeb added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023