IMF loan: Shujaat defends COAS’ phone call to Sherman

PML-Q chief says Imran as PM refused to make Moonis Elahi a minister ‘due to corruption scandal’

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) founder Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Monday termed Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s “intervention” in the country’s economic affairs a “failure of politicians” asking “why was there a need for the army chief to interfere”.

Amid frequent calls for army to stay neutral in the country’s affairs, the PML-Q senior leader’s statement about army chief’s interference has come on the heels of reports that he made a phone call to US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and, reportedly, asked the White House to help Islamabad secure an early dispersal of $1.2 billion in funds under an IMF loan programme.

The PML-Q leader urged all the politicians to get on the same page and give a message of unity to the world, regretting that currently they had been busy in levelling allegations against each other.

Shujaat was addressing a news conference at his residence in the federal capital to counter allegations levelled by his party members against his sons and the political affairs happening in Punjab.

He was flanked by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema, his son Federal Minister for Board of Investment and Special Initiatives Chaudhry Salik Hussain, among others.

The press conference of Shujaat, who has also served as prime minister for a brief period, was crucial as he asserted that he was still the party head.

Recently, PML-Q central working committee had announced that Shujaat had been removed from the position of party chief after he wrote a letter and directed the PML-Q lawmakers to vote for PML-N candidate in Punjab’s chief minister’s election.

Cheema incorporated that it was impossible to remove Shujaat from the position of party head as he was the founder and had been running it for the last 22 years.

The former premier said that attempts were being made to defame his sons, adding that those who had levelled allegations against his family had “no standing”.

He said his sons had taken all the decisions after consulting him and that he was proud of them.

He denied his brother Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain’s allegations that his sons sought dollars from former president and PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. “Wajahat had promised to give a public apology on Eid day but he didn’t come,” he maintained.

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He termed his meeting with Zardari before the Punjab CM elections a “routine matter”. He said they used to meet the PPP co-chairperson and others when Punjab CM Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was being made the deputy prime minister.

Shujaat said it was the politicians’ failure that the COAS had to intervene in the country’s economic affairs and questioned “why was there a need for the army chief to interfere”.

At one point, Cheema said that “Zardari Sahib is a man of commitment and man of word”.

Shujaat revealed that he and Cheema went to meet PTI chairman Imran Khan where the ex-premier spoke to them against Moonis’ alleged involvement in corruption scandals and offered to make Salik a minister.

“I told Imran that the PML-Q had already decided to make Moonis a minister and that is what he (Imran) should do.”

Speaking about the split in the Chaudhries of Gujrat, Cheema said an attempt was made to create rifts in the party and hoped that better sense would prevail in the coming days.

Shujaat in his typical style said that everything was fine and would remain fine, adding that “all one needed was to climb a few stairs up or down to make things smooth”.

On newly-elected Punjab CM and his support for PTI, Shujaat urged Elahi to act wisely and stop making a “mockery” of the family and invited him to “return to his residence”.

Cheema added Elahi was aware that portfolios mean nothing for them, saying PML-Q would not support Imran even if PTI announces to make Elahi chief minister forever.

To a question if Shujaat would take action against his party leaders for not obeying his instructions during Punjab CM elections, Cheema said the party was still waiting for the detailed judgment of the Supreme Court, which paved the way for Elahi to become Punjab’s CM.

Without mincing any words, Cheema maintained that he was never willing to serve Imran and repeatedly told his party leadership that he wanted to quit because the PTI chairman was a “liar” and an “incompetent person”.