Elahi finds PM unperturbed by no-trust threat

PML-Q completes hat-trick of assuring Imran of support

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Thursday Prime Minister Imran Khan was not perturbed at all over the opposition’s threat of no-confidence motion, as his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q), completed a hat-trick of assuring the prime minister of support.

Talking to the reporters outside the Punjab Assembly, Elahi appeared in light mood and used many metaphors to emphasise that the PML-Q – a key ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at the Centre and in Punjab – stood by the government.

Elahi likened the opposition’s no-confidence plans “a big cooking pot on the stove” and said that “something will come out” of it. “The [broth] first gives steam before it boils. For now, only steam is coming out. We will be able to say something [concrete] after the first boil,” he added.

Referring to his meeting with Prime Minister Imran during the latter’s visit to Lahore earlier this week, Elahi said that the issue of no-confidence was not discussed during the meeting, because Imran Khan was not perturbed at all by the opposition’s threat.

When asked specifically by a reporter if he would suggest the prime minister not to panic, the Punjab Assembly speaker repeated his statement that the prime minister was “not worried at all” about the possible no-confidence move by the opposition.

Referring to a relief package announced by the prime minister on Tuesday, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that Imran Khan had taken good steps to curb inflation and added that reduction in petrol and electricity prices would greatly benefit the people.

Asked about the remarks attributed to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman that the next 48 hours were important, the Punjab Assembly speaker replied that only Maulana Fazl could tell about the importance of the next 48 hours.

The PML-Q leadership has been at the centre of hectic political activities, since Fazl’s announcement on February 11 of tabling a no-confidence motion. However, party leader and Federal Minister Moonis Elahi had repeatedly assured Prime Minister Imran of his party’s support.

Also read: PDM announces no-trust motion against PM Imran’s govt

On Thursday, Moonis Elahi, the federal Minister for Water Resources, completed a hat-trick of pledging party’s complete support to the prime minister. During a meeting with the premier, Moonis Elahi stressed that his family always honoured its commitments.

Moonis, son of Pervaiz Elahi, told Prime Minister Imran that both sides would continue working together for the betterment of the country, despite mounting pressure from the opposition in recent weeks. “For generations our family has always honoured commitments,” Moonis tweeted after the meeting.

Soon after the statement, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill chipped in, saying some illusionists did not know that the Chaudhrys’ third generation was in politics and one thing that was common among them was that they fulfil their commitments.

Since February 14, Moonis has openly been assuring the prime minister of his party’s support when the opposition parties have frequently been visiting the PML-Q’s leadership to buttress its support against the government.

Initially, Elahi had asked Prime Minister Imran to quash rumours in his party over no-trust motion, saying that his party made the lasting connection with PTI. Next, he had assured National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser that PML-Q was an ally of the government and would stand by it in any political situation.

Moonis’ frequent support for the prime minister had elicited a strong reaction from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. “Moonis Elahi is a federal minister and has to please his boss,” Abbasi, a former prime minister, had said.