ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The Central Executive Committee of PML-Q agreed on Saturday to form a committee of senior Leaguers to reactivate the party to woo back estranged party lawmakers.
Talking to newsmen after a PML-Q meeting, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said: “There were no serious differences in the party and that everything has been sorted out at today’s meeting and what is left will be settled in Sunday’s CWC meeting.”
Party sources said that the proposed committee would have no constitutional status as the proposal had only been accepted as part of reconciliation between the two groups.
The committee, the sources said, would have no power either to hold elections before August next year or intervene in creating consensus on party candidates.
The leader of the dissident group, Hamid Nasir Chattha, said: “They have accepted our point of view and we have accepted theirs (Chaudhry’s).” Talking to Dawn, he said he had forwarded names of 10-12 ‘non-partisan’ Leaguers to the party president for nomination in the committee and they would work as trouble-shooters.A party source told Dawn that the dissident group trying to dislodge the party leadership had failed to muster sufficient support.
Presided over by party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the CEC was attended by around 60 leaders. The original strength is 30.
The dissident group expressed satisfaction that its demand for running the party through an elders’ committee had been accepted.
The party’s additional secretary general, Iqbal Dar, staged a walkout from the meeting, complaining that matters were being run without taking him on board as acting secretary general in absence of Mushahid Hussain Sayed.
Talking to Dawn, Mr Dar said that his position had been acknowledged by participants and he would now act as party secretary general till Mr Hussain’s return from America.
In their speeches, the participants expressed fears that internal wrangling may again lead the party to the pre-merger era when the party had five factions.
Dr Sher Afgan Niazi said that no one but the Chaudhrys could run party affairs as anyone who could afford to shell out Rs2 million for two days’ meals, etc could take over the party’s leadership.
Mr Riaz Pirzada said that some members of the anti-Chaudhry group “who could not afford to feed their dogs were eyeing for the party leadership.”
The party president had been empowered by the CEC to nominate members of the proposed committee which was expected to be done by next week, sources said.
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