Mission impossible: Shujaat attempts to unify Muslim leagues

On a whirlwind visit to Karachi, PML-Q chief holds meetings with leaders of various League factions

KARACHI: A day-long visit to Karachi by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat ended with the formation of a committee to work for uniting various Muslim League factions.

The committee, comprising former Sindh chief minister Ghous Ali Shah, former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) Secretary General Sardar Rahim, and PML-Q Secretary General Tariq Bashir Cheema, will approach different League factions and encourage them to unify.



Shujaat had a busy day, which started with a meeting with Ghous Ali Shah and Pir Pagara. After the meeting, Shujaat said that he had come out to unify all factions of Muslim League.

“The senior leaders of [various] Muslim League [factions] have always expressed their willingness to work on a common platform, but some people are creating hindrances in the alliance. Under the present circumstances, we have to shun differences and come forward for the sake of our country,” he said, adding that Pakistan was passing through a critical juncture and facing internal and external threats, so a strong alliance was needed to counter the nefarious designs of the enemies.

Responding to a question if he was in touch with former dictator General Parvez Musharraf, Shujaat said, “I have had no contact with him for a quite some time.”



When asked about his plan to make an alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the upcoming general election, he said, “At the moment, I cannot comment on it. I will tell you about this closer to the general election,” he remarked.

The PML-Q leader said he had no plans to visit the MQM leadership on his current trip, but this might change on a future trip.

Talking about the Model Town incident in which 14 people PAT workers had been killed, he said it was a horrific incident and former minister Nawaz Sharif had suffered its consequences.

After his meeting with former PML-N leader Ghous Ali Shah, who has now parted ways with Nawaz Sharif, Shujaat told the media that he would not sit idle and play his role in the unification of like-minded people and parties. “I intend to visit each and every Muslim League leader for one cause, and that is unity,” he said.

Ghous Ali Shah appreciated Shujaat’s efforts and said he and other friends would support the idea, because “the Muslim League created Pakistan and is the only party that can defend it”.