LAHORE/GUJRAT: Senior leader of PML-Q Chaudhry Shafay Hussain says his party is not being merged into any other political entity.

In a statement issued in Lahore on Sunday, the former federal minister in the PDM government said his party would maintain its separate identity instead of merging with the PML-N. However, both the parties could strike seat adjustments in the general election, he said.

Shafay added that the PML-Q candidates would contest on the election symbol of tractor.

Meanwhile, PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat says the people of Pakistan have pinned many hopes on the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the future government would have to work for the restoration of the economy, eliminating unemployment and price hike. He says the country needs national harmony and reconciliation more than ever and one should let bygones be bygones and move forward instead of indulging in politics of vendetta.

On the other hand, PML-Q leader and former federal minister Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and his son ex-MNA Hussain Elahi criticised the economic policies of PML-N during its 16 months in the federal government, saying it was only due to the strict action initiated by Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir that the national economy and currency had started to improve a bit.

Division surfaces in Q League regarding N; Shujaat says masses pinning hopes on Nawaz; Wajahat, son criticise PML-N

The criticism of the PML-N by both the former PML-Q lawmakers and close family members of the party chief, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has surfaced just when the leadership of both factions of the Pakistan Muslim League are hinting at making a seat adjustment in the election on Feb 8, 2024.

Speaking to a gathering of party workers at his Nutt House in Gujrat, Wajahat said the masses were witness to the statement of PML-N leadership regarding being the beggars and that wherever they went to seek financial assistance, the other side would consider them as beggars.

Wajahat announced to kick off the election campaign of his son, Hussain Elahi, and two Punjab Assembly candidates of his party, Abdullah Yousaf Warraich and Khalid Asghar Ghural, asking his supporters to work for their victory.

Rejecting the anti-army narrative, Hussain Elahi, who returned from a self-imposed exile of 10 months the other day, said the PML-N had stopped the uplift schemes of his constituency in Gujrat during its 16 months tenure. He vowed to relaunch these projects after winning the next election for which he had started to reach out to the people for electioneering. He announced to contest the next election under the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on the party symbol of tractor.

Sources say that by criticising the PML N policies, the Wajahat camp has tried to attract the PTI vote bank with an anti-PML-N narrative as his traditional rival, Nawabzada family, has already been in the PML-N and the voters might not be easily won by the PML-Q in that constituency. They say Hussain Elahi would assess the ground position of his constituency for the future course of action.

It’s pertinent to mention that both Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and his son Hussain Elahi were in the PTI before the May 9 incidents when many of the party leaders had started quitting the party. The duo also quit the PTI and joined the PML-Q.

The PML-N Gujrat chapter has already opposed the seat adjustment with the PML-Q whereas Punjab PML-N president Rana Sanaullah has told the media his party is ready to make adjustments for the PML-Q in Gujrat and Bahawalpur and also hinted at accommodating the scions of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Tariq Bashir Cheeema.

However, settlement between both the parties about the constituencies in question is yet to be made while PML-N may not field its candidates to extend support to the PML-Q in Gujrat district.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2023