A new episode of the ongoing soap opera over control of the PML-Q continues, featuring efforts of the Pervez Elahi camp to depose party chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. The Elahi camp’s move comes days after Shujaat suspended his cousin, the former Punjab chief minister, for suggesting that the party would merge with the PTI. Tensions had already been high for several months after Elahi embarrassed Shujaat by reneging on a deal to support the PDM and allied his group with the PTI in Punjab for the sake of the top job in the province.
On Thursday, Shujaat was removed and reportedly sacked from the party, replaced by his brother Wajahat Hussain, who is in the Elahi camp. Also sacked was close Shujaat adviser and Federal Minister for National Food Security Tariq Bashir Cheema, who was the party’s secretary-general. Cheema and Shujaat’s son Chaudhry Salik Hussain said the removal was “unconstitutional”, with Cheema likening the move to the “PTI’s Balochistan chapter removing Imran Khan from the chairmanship”, a reference to the fact that only a few leaders from Lahore reportedly attended the Elahi camp meeting, and Elahi himself is the party’s Punjab president. Cheema also said the rules for a leadership vote were not followed, and that an ongoing ECP reference regarding party leadership would have rendered any vote moot, even if the rules were followed. In fact, he said the ECP might actually take action against Elahi and his allies for their theatrics.
Meanwhile, Salik claims the move is Elahi’s latest effort to cozy up with Imran Khan without having to formally join the PTI. Several analysts have suggested that Elahi may be weary of joining the PTI as it would increase the chances that Imran walks back on his reported promise of chief ministership for Elahi and appoint another Buzdar, or at least a slightly more competent loyalist, rather than the Machiavellian Elahi. However, the divide may still be bridged in time. Both men’s goals remain the same — power and influence. It is just a question of whose coattails to hang on to after the elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2023.
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