‘Shujaat is like a brother to PM’, says Fawad as govt again reaches out to ally

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan considers PML-Q chief and former premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain his brother while asserting that all allies would remain a part of PTI-led coalition government.

“We discussed in detail reservations of [allies]… they remained part of the coalition government for the last three and a half years and we hope that they would continue to do so; politics, government and future is in our hands,” he said while addressing a press conference alongside PTI leader Aamer Mehmood Kiani following the ruling party’s core committee meeting under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s chairmanship in Islamabad on Monday.

The PML-Q supported the PTI from the beginning and their support in future would be “crucial”, said Fawad.

The minister while responding to a question said three MNAs of the ruling party were offered a hefty amount for their support on opposition’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Also read: PM Imran says 'not worried' about no-confidence motion

He said the all party members have expressed confidence in the leadership of PM Imran and suggested summoning the National Assembly session at the earliest for the vote of no-confidence.

Dates of March 21, 22 and 23 are crucial due to foreign ministers of members’ states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) taking place in Islamabad, he said, adding it was suggested that the session should not coincide with the event.

The minister said imminent failure of no-trust motion would definitely give a fatal blow to the opposition, which he said was “bent upon hatching conspiracies” against a democratically elected government.

“All the cards are with us and we will decide what might be the next move and whatever the next move should be; I assure you that it will be the last game of these ‘three jokers’ who will simply vanish from political scene after failure of the no-trust motion,” he remarked.

The entire party stood by the prime minister, said Fawad expressing optimism that all the allied parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid would remain part of the PTI’s alliance.

Sharing details of the core committee meeting with the media, he said the entire party has resolved that only PM Imran could lead the country during this critical juncture.

He said the core committee had not only rejected the opposition’s bid to revive the horse-trading culture, but also condemned their tactics of offering millions of rupee to the PTI’s legislators for shifting their loyalties in case of the no-trust motion.

He said the huge crowd at recent public meetings of the prime minister had once again proved that PTI was a federal party, and PM Imran a “true national leader”.

“After witnessing such a huge crowd in public gatherings of the prime minister, the opposition parties’ leaders are trembling,” he added.

Taking a dig at PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for “illegally spending” resources of the Sindh government, Fawad said his “short march” got a lukewarm response from Punjab.

He said the prime minister held unprecedented public gatherings in different cities including Mailsi, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad and Lower Dir. The next one would be in Swat and “the mother of all Jalsas” at D-Chowk Islamabad is also just around the corner, he added.

“Those who want to compete with us should first see where the public stand,” he said throwing challenge to the opposition leaders to hold a single public meeting in a way the prime minister did by pulling “massive crowd”.

He recounted the PTI’s major initiatives that put the country on path of progress included health card, reforms in industrial sector, low-cost houses, dams, and others.

He took exception to the opposition leaders including Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and others for orchestrating a campaign against Prime Minister Imran and the PTI government on his foreign policy initiatives.

Also read: Voting on no-trust motion to take place after March 27: Faisal Javed

Fawad said the country had an independent foreign policy after a long hiatus which surely enhanced the prestige of Pakistanis. “No compromise will be made on Pakistan’s sovereignty,” he added.

He ruled out any NRO like-deal to the opposition leaders, saying the prime minister would not bow to their tactics.

PML-Q approached once again

Meanwhile, the federal government has once again approached its ally PML-Q to discuss the matter of no-confidence motion and overall political situation of the country. Federal minister Ijaz Shah visited the residence of Chaudhry brothers in Lahore, where he met Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Monis Elahi. Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Chaudhry Hussain Elahi were also present on the occasion.

(With input from APP)