The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has restored Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as the President of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) setting aside his removal as the head of the party by his cousin, former Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
The commission also stated that the PML-Q’s Central Working Committee’s (CWC) decision to remove Shujaat as party chief was illegal, declaring it null and void.
On January 16, PML-Q’s CWC removed Shujaat as the party chief. His brother, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain was given the command of the PML-Q.
The step was taken by the committee after Shujaat had suspended the basic membership of the-then CM Elahi — for his statement about a possible merger with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
After the ouster of PTI’s chief Imran Khan from power, rifts within PML-Q widened as the party got divided into two camps over the issue of joining hands with the PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
Elahi, his son Moonis Elahi and the majority of party leaders sided with the PTI while Chaudhry Shujaat, Salik Hussain and Tariq Bashir Cheema supported the PML-N.
