PTI, PML-Q not on same page

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s only ally in Punjab – the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) – not only skipped the luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday but accused the ruling party of never trying to address coalition partner’s grievances in the last two years.

Suggesting that the coalition partner was apparently of no value to the PTI government, PML-Q’s Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema minced no words in expressing his party’s concerns, saying that the only relation between the two parties was of voting for government.

Cheema, while expressing his views on the media, went on to say that the PML-Q was there whenever PTI needed its votes and assistance in the past two years but “unfortunately either PTI doesn’t want to consult with anyone or it doesn’t consider us worthy of it.”

The minister said that it was party’s decision not to attend the luncheon. He revealed that there were several grievances of the PML-Q that PTI never even tried to address. Cheema said that the PML-Q did not even attend the previous gathering because of the ruling party had shown no interest in addressing its concerns.

“We are your coalition partners; the only and valuable coalition partner in Punjab,” Cheema reminded the ruling party, adding that the PML-Q had conveyed its grievances time and again but to no avail.

“There is no purpose of eating together when a party [PTI] invites the other over lunch or dinner and asks to leave everything behind,” Cheema said. He added that it was a bit difficult for political parties to move ahead just because they were invited to share meals, adding that the government should fulfil its commitments through actions.

Referring to a political committee of the government formed to spell out its suggestions based on its assessment of the political situation in the country, Cheema said that none from the coalition parties were included in it.

The committee was formed after a coalition of nearly a dozen political parties – Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – cobbled together to challenge the PTI-led government. “Our relationship is only to the extent of casting a vote in favour of the PTI,” Cheema said.

Another PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi also expressed similar reservations in a tweet, saying that the PML-Q’s alliance with PTI was to the extent of votes only and having meals with the Prime Minister was not included in their agreement.

Being a coalition partner, Cheema said, the PML-Q could only inform about its concerns, saying it was up to the ruling party to understand the importance of such formal messages as well as the practice of staying away from the official luncheons and dinners.

It was earlier reported in August this year that the PML-Q had shown its willingness to mend fences with the PTI but the ruling party did not give any positive response to it back then. Prime Minister Imran Khan has long been giving cold shoulder to the PML-Q leaders and he has not met them during his frequent visits to the provincial capital.