Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Tuesday went to meet the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leadership.
PM Khan inquired about the health of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
The Chaudhrys of Gujrat assured PM Khan that they still supported him and his government and also expressed their lack of trust in the Sharifs who ditched them in the past. “We know them all, and do not trust them,” said Chaudhry Shujaat.
“Shehbaz Sharif came to inquire after my health a few days ago and offered the chief ministership (of Punjab) to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (in exchange for voting against Imran Khan),” said Hussain to PM Khan according to media reports.
“However, we know them well and do not trust them. He had offered us the same slot (in the 90s) but backed off after winning the elections. The excuse was that his father did not agree to the proposal. Although he has offered it again, we don’t trust (him) and continue to stand by the government,” Hussain assured PM Khan.
The Chaudhrys appreciated the government’s decision to slash fuel prices and electricity rates, as well as the industrial package unveiled on Tuesday.
Khan briefed the hosts about his recent visits to China and Russia.
PML-Q leader Tariq Bashir Cheema, while speaking on News One programme ‘G for Gharidah’, revealed that the issue of a no-trust move was not discussed in the meeting between PM Khan and the Chaudhry brothers.
“This is the first time PM Khan visited [Chaudhry brothers] with a delegation. There were 20 people sitting in the meeting. Not once was there any talk about the no-confidence motion,” said Cheema.
Cheema said that PM Khan discussed his recent trips to Moscow and China, asked about Shujaat Hussain’s health. He added that the recent visits of the Opposition leaders were also discussed.
Different accounts
In a report for The News, Ansar Abbasi says the “accounts of the meeting by the three government sources were different from each other while the PML-Q source insisted that the media had been fed the wrong information by a government minister about what was discussed in the meeting”.
“One of the three government sources said that ‘politics’ was not discussed as such in the meeting … The second government source said that although there was no assurance sought by the PM or given by the Chaudhrys regarding the no-trust move, the body language of the top PML-Q leadership was good and encouraging for the government. This second government source said following an inquiry from the government side, the Chaudhrys also talked about Shehbaz Sharif’s visit … The third PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] source, when approached, told this correspondent that Chaudhry Shujaat told Imran Khan to stand firm (dattay rahain). The source quoted the Chaudhrys as having told Shehbaz Sharif that in case of the failure of the no-trust move, Imran Khan would emerge far more powerful. This source claimed that the Chaudhrys had urged Shehbaz Sharif not to embark on such adventures. The third government source further said that the Chaudhrys also said that they were offered the chief ministership but only to announce the dissolution of the Punjab assembly. What will we get out of it, the government source quoted Chaudhry Pervez Elahi as saying.”
