Like-minded hits back: Shujaat’s third term as PML-Q chief questioned
Salim Saifullah says his faction will support Dar as Senate opposition leader.
ISLAMABAD:
The political strife between the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and its breakaway factions took a new turn on Wednesday when the party’s like-minded group questioned the legitimacy of Chaudhry Shujat Hussain’s third term as party president.
The conflict became more intense a few days ago when Hussain issued a ‘disqualification’ warning to his party members for violating the policy over the selection of a new leader of the opposition in the Senate.
Senator Salim Saifullah Khan of the like-minded group announced that his group, consisting of 11 senators, would stick to the earlier decision of supporting Senator Ishaq Dar of the PML-N for leader of the opposition.
“If Chaudhry Shujat Hussain continues to interfere, we [currently11 senators that could be 15] may ask for his removal as the parliamentary leader,” Khan warned.
“We do not acknowledge him [Chaudhry Shujat] as the party president,” he said.
Addressing a press conference, Khan clarified that the ‘defection clause’ was not applicable. A party head can utilise it in case party members vote against the party line for a money bill or for a vote of confidence. The selection of the leader of the opposition has nothing to do with disqualification on this ground, he added.
We [the 11 senators] will keep our political identity intact and sit on the opposition benches along with a large number of National Assembly members, he said.
Khan went to the extent of facing disqualification, saying, “We will play our due role of the opposition. We are ready to sacrifice our senate seats for the country.”
To a question about his group’s merger with the PML-N, he did not rule out the possibility, quite evident from his party’s tilt towards the N-league.
“The Chaudhry brothers went for an alliance with the ruling PPP merely to serve their personal interests,” said Khan.
Censuring Hussain’s move to threaten senators with ‘disqualification’, Khan questioned, “Did he take the decision of joining the federal government after consultation in the central executive meeting of the party?”
He explained that Hussain got himself elected as the party president for the third term by bringing an overnight amendment in the party’s constitution. “We have filed a case in the Lahore High Court (LHC) over the issue and the case is still pending.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2011.
The political strife between the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and its breakaway factions took a new turn on Wednesday when the party’s like-minded group questioned the legitimacy of Chaudhry Shujat Hussain’s third term as party president.
The conflict became more intense a few days ago when Hussain issued a ‘disqualification’ warning to his party members for violating the policy over the selection of a new leader of the opposition in the Senate.
Senator Salim Saifullah Khan of the like-minded group announced that his group, consisting of 11 senators, would stick to the earlier decision of supporting Senator Ishaq Dar of the PML-N for leader of the opposition.
“If Chaudhry Shujat Hussain continues to interfere, we [currently11 senators that could be 15] may ask for his removal as the parliamentary leader,” Khan warned.
“We do not acknowledge him [Chaudhry Shujat] as the party president,” he said.
Addressing a press conference, Khan clarified that the ‘defection clause’ was not applicable. A party head can utilise it in case party members vote against the party line for a money bill or for a vote of confidence. The selection of the leader of the opposition has nothing to do with disqualification on this ground, he added.
We [the 11 senators] will keep our political identity intact and sit on the opposition benches along with a large number of National Assembly members, he said.
Khan went to the extent of facing disqualification, saying, “We will play our due role of the opposition. We are ready to sacrifice our senate seats for the country.”
To a question about his group’s merger with the PML-N, he did not rule out the possibility, quite evident from his party’s tilt towards the N-league.
“The Chaudhry brothers went for an alliance with the ruling PPP merely to serve their personal interests,” said Khan.
Censuring Hussain’s move to threaten senators with ‘disqualification’, Khan questioned, “Did he take the decision of joining the federal government after consultation in the central executive meeting of the party?”
He explained that Hussain got himself elected as the party president for the third term by bringing an overnight amendment in the party’s constitution. “We have filed a case in the Lahore High Court (LHC) over the issue and the case is still pending.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2011.