Shujaat terminates brother Elahi's PML-Q membership

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday terminated the party membership of his brother former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and dismissed him from his party post.

Shujaat had issued a show-cause notice to Elahi on January 16 in which he had stated the provincial president of the party could not merge the party with another one. Elahi had a day earlier announced that he was considering merging his party with allies Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

“Elahi should explain the unconstitutional and illegal action. PML-Q, as a political party, has its own vote bank, discipline, manifesto and code. Elahi's statements of the previous day are a violation of party rules.”

In the show-cause notice, Elahi was asked to explain his unconstitutional action within seven days. “If Elahi does not give an explanation, action will be taken against him.”

However, as per a press release issued today by the party, no explanation had been given by Elahi over his actions and therefore, his membership has been terminated.

Read more: Shujaat suspends Elahi from party over merger move

"By ignoring the first show-cause notice, you (Elahi) have once again grossly violated the code of conduct of the party," it read.

The press release said that Elahi cannot associate himself with the party in any capacity in future. PML-Q spokesperson Mustafa Malik has also confirmed the development.

In January, Elahi, following a meeting with PTI chief Imran Khan at the latter’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore, revealed that the former premier had recommended a merger of both the parties.

He stated that he was considering the offer and his party’s leadership would meet to reach a consensus in this regard. He said that his son, Moonis, had already consented to the move.

Cracks in the PML-Q ranks first appeared in March last year around the time of a no-confidence motion against former premier Imran Khan after Elahi threw weight behind the PTI camp, while Shujaat Hussain joined the then-opposition led by PDM parties.

The discord – triggered by Elahi’s decision to throw weight behind PTI against the PDM government – had split the party into two camps.