LAHORE: The PML-Q leaders’ meetings with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and government ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders have compelled the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government to launch a counter-offensive and assess what’s cooking in the PML-Q camp.

The Chaudhrys are an important ally of the government in the centre and Punjab.

In a related development, PTI dissident Jahangir Tareen’s group has also emerged on the scene and held a meeting to review the political situation. It is also weighing options to meet major opposition parties — PML-N and PPP which are fervently moving ahead “to oust the PTI government”.

PML-N Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal also hinted that a meeting was expected with the Tareen group soon.

None other than Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke his heart out on Wednesday by saying that all opposition parties were banding together to avoid accountability and punishment and that “the opposition parties are afraid of me”.

The PML-Q leaders received Mr Zardari early this week and the very next day, MQM-P leaders Aamir Khan and Waseem Akhtar called on PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and assured him that their party would respond to the opposition’s support demand after discussing it with the party’s coordination committee.

In order to counter the political moves against the government, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser arrived in the city on Thursday and held meetings with Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

“Mr Qaiser had arrived to inquire after Shujaat Husain and he did ask about Mr Zardari’s meeting with PML-Q president Shujaat and Punjab president Parvez Elahi,” a source in the PML-Q told Dawn.

The source said Mr Qaiser had been told that the PML-Q leaders had old relations with Mr Zardari and he had come to inquire after Mr Husain.

A source in the PTI government said the party was disturbed after Mr Elahi’s statement that things were being collected in the kitchen and it remained to be seen what the joint opposition parties would cook — a clear reference to clarity about the opposition roadmap.

The source said the PTI was also upset about PML-Q senator Kamil Ali Agha’s statement that his party was not with Prime Minister Imran Khan but the state of Pakistan. However, a PML-Q leader did not own the statement saying, “Mr Agha had stated this mistakenly”.

It’s business as usual, the source said, adding that there was no serious political move as being considered by the PTI. Soon afterwards, the PML-Q released a statement by Shujaat Husain wherein he requested all parties’ leaders that political matters should not be limited to meetings but together they should plan to benefit people.

Mr Husain stressed that the PTI government should also take practical steps for the betterment of the indigent.

The National Assembly speaker also called on (acting governor) Parvez Elahi at the Governor House and discussed the political situation, parliamentary affairs, upcoming local government elections and the Punjab Local Government Amendment Bill, says meeting details issued by the PTI government.

Mr Elahi said the LG institutions could play a vital role in solving people’s problems at the grassroots level. Taking Mr Qaiser into confidence on the Local Government Bill under consideration in the standing committee in the Punjab Assembly, Mr Elahi said the amendment bill envisaged giving maximum powers to the LG representatives.

The NA speaker said the political representatives could provide relief to the masses through effective legislation. “Maximum time is being given to the parliamentarians in the House to discuss problems faced by the masses,” he stated.

MNAs Junaid Akbar, Saleh Muhammad, Dr Haider Ali and Punjab Assembly secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti were present at the meeting.

Later, Asad Qaiser called on Chief Minister Usman Bazdar and discussed the political situation and public welfare projects. Both condemned the negative politics of the opposition and agreed to counter every tactic. Both also decided to make the bilateral relations more effective.

The chief minister pointed out that those who speak of the no-confidence move had earlier claimed that they would hold rallies and tender resignations. He said the opposition’s move was an attempt to avoid a long march.

Mr Qaiser said the opposition’s attempts to spread political chaos would not succeed and added, “In the current situation, the politics of chaos is against the national interests”.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2022