Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and senior party leaders visited Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi yesterday (February 13, Sunday).
Shehbaz went to their residence where the leaders of the two rival parties met each other for a formal political meeting after a gap of about 14 years.
The meeting lasted over an hour, where both sides discussed the current political situation in the country in detail. Sources say that Shehbaz Sharif asked the Chaudhries of Gujrat to support the Opposition in its planned no-confidence move against Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, the Chaudhry brothers told the PML-N leadership that they would adopt a strategy after consultations with their party leaders.
The News reported that the Chaudhry brothers have asked for the slot of Chief Minister Punjab from 2023 to 2028. Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly conveyed details of the meeting to Mian Nawaz Sharif, who will make the final decision. Currently, the PML-Q is a key ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in both Punjab and the Centre.
On Saturday (February 12), Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who also heads the Opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), called on the Chaudhry brothers in Lahore. Maulana also asked them for their support against the sitting government.
Earlier on Monday (February 7), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari also paid a visit to the Chaudhry brothers in Lahore to ask for PML-Q support in ousting the government.
Last year in December, Nawaz Sharif called Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to ask about the health of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and also invited them to meet him in London.
