Shujaat, brothers’ meet President Musharraf • 05.15.08
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain called on President Musharraf at the President House in Islamabad. “The president has consented that Chaudhry Shujaat will continue to lead the Pakistan Muslim League-Q”, sources said. The leader of opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhry Wajaat Hussain and senator Muhammad Ali Durrani also attended the meeting that was continued for three hours.The meeting was held amidst speculations of handing over the PML-Q top office to Pir Pagara or Hamid Nasir Chattha.The president had also met Hamid Nasir Chattha on Wednesday.
Former federal minister and PML-Q leader Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that a resolution for restoration of deposed judges, followed by a constitutional package, would be acceptable to every one but it couldn’t be possible before the budget session.Talking to media he said the Supreme Court cannot issue stay order against the National Assembly but a stay order can be issued against an executive order.He claimed that the complicated issue of judges’ re-instatement could be resolved so easily in coming few days.To a query he said, “If we believe that the army will no more interfere in political affairs, we can expect a Bangladesh-like situation in the country.” He said that judges after their restoration may declare the elections null and void and would conduct new election in the country.Rashid also praised Asif Ali Zardari for his vision, saying that he played significant role in the party after the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto. He said if Nawaz League parts ways with PPP and Centre, it would have to face danger in Punjab.To another question he prayed for the continuation of the alliance, adding if the constitutional package is introduced after taking all political parties into confidence, the Q-League will also vote it.He said the next general election would take place soon as the country’s situation is worsening with each passing day and the people’s problems are not resolved.He said the country is facing the worst kind of inflation but the government is taking no action against the hoarders. He said the wheat crop has reached but despite it atta is not available in the market and the prices of commodities are beyond the access of the common man.
President Pervez Musharraf will be meeting in the next few days Muslim League-Q members annoyed with Chaudhry brothers, while Chaudhry brothers and Faisal Saleh Hayat will not be invited in this meeting. Senior journalist Saleh Zafar said that Faisalabad members Rana Asif Tauseef and Chaudhry Asim Nazir had threadbare discussions with President Musharraf in this regard and the meeting was expected in the next 2/3 days. Sources said that the envisaged meeting was an attempt in the direction of laying down the foundation of a new Muslim League constituting of dissenting members, which would have a leaning towards the Pakistan People’s Party, who would lend helping hands to the ruling alliance in case of Muslim league-N parted ways from the alliance. Analysts said that Chaudhry Shujaat and Asif Zardari have turned unacceptable to each other, while Shujaat seemed preferring increasing ties with ML-N, which President Musharraf well aware of confirmed this meeting with the dissenters in next few days.
Change in Pakistan Muslim League-Q leadership is likely within few days, sources disclosed on Saturday. According to sources, Pakistan Muslim League (PML)-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi met with President Musharraf at Army camp office in Rawalpindi on Saturday and discussed change in leadership of PML-Q.
Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said people knew that both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz were trying to reinstate the deposed judges for their own sake. He was addressing a press conference here at the PML House on Friday after chairing an organisational meeting of Multan Division.Elahi said during the meeting, he was informed by the party office bearers and workers that fake cases were being registered against PML workers in order to harass them. He added that copies of FIRs were also presented to him during the meeting according to which over 100 cases had been registered against the party workers in each district of the province.Condemning the registration of fake cases, Elahi said that those who lived in Saroor Palace and have “fun” did not learn any lesson and have re-started victimisation of opponents. He said that his party in its first cabinet meeting had decided to give free education up to matric but the sitting government in its first cabinet meeting discussed how to restart political victimisation of opponents.Besides, he added they start their day with a breakfast of transfers and postings of at least 10 to 12 senior officials. Elahi said that people were deprived of flour, electricity and gas whereas the ruling alliance had diverted the attention of the people from actual issues. The government has no agenda to give relief to the masses as it has no vision and commitment to resolve the issues of the general public, he added.Elahi said he was surprised that Shahbaz Sharif despite being not elected to any house is ordering transfers and postings and conducting interviews of the officials. He added that they (Sharifs) either shelve their illegal attitude or should not talk about constitution and law.He said that despite the arrival of new wheat crop in the market, the flour crisis was not yet over and for the first time in the history of the country, the houses of wheat growers were raided and they were being harassed. Elahi said that the government can tear the pages having pictures of PML leaders from books but they should provide free books to the students.He added there were reports that the government was trying to roll back those revolutionary steps in education sector, which were introduced by the PML government. He said that the PML government had eliminated corruption, changed traffic culture, provided free medicines but the ruling alliance had been harassing the administration.Elahi said that the PML had started the organisational work to know the real causes of their defeat in the general elections besides organising the party at grass roots level. The PML would emerge as the strongest party in the days to come and play its political role, he added.Elahi appealed to the media to play its role in forcing the ruling alliance not to divert people’s attention from real issues. Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly, Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan, SVP Muhammad Basharat Raja, Arshad Lodhi and others were also present.
While the PPP and PML-N might be struggling to bridge their differences over the judges’ issue, the former ruling party –the PML-Q– has offered its services for resolving the judicial crisis.The party’s president –Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said his party will table a resolution to resolve the issue of deposed judges restoration if the government fails to do so.Talking to reporters at a press conference along with Mushahid Hussain, Shujaat said the judges’ matter has become a political issue now. . .and the government must resolve it. He said if the government failed to resolve the crisis of judiciary, his party would table resolution against the government in the house. Shujaat said the opposition providing opportunity to the parties with people’s mandate to resolve the problems. The PML-Q chairman denied presence of the forward block in ranks of his party.
The secretary general of PML-Q Mushahid Hussain Syed has said President Musharraf made big mistake by removing of judges of the higher court. Addressing a press conference in here, PML-Q secretary general asked the present government to fulfill its commitment by restoring judges in 30-days, enforcing 10-year old price list of edibles and by making Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan as President of Pakistan. Mushahid Hussain said removal of Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan from his post was humiliating and disliked by the whole nation. He said Riaz Muhammad Khan was sacked due to disagreeing with government’s decision to invite UN experts for probing Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
Pakistan Muslim League (Q) Tuesday took a U-turn over the deposed judges issue with its president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain saying that the party had never opposed their reinstatement.Party sources said that most of the MNAs who spoke about the judges issue at a meeting of the PML (Q) parliamentary party were of the view that the party should support a parliamentary resolution to restore the deposed judges.”We do not oppose judges restoration and rather want resolution of the judges issue in line with the public sentiments and aspirations,” said the PML President Ch. Shujaat Hussain while talking to the media at his residence after the PML (Q) Parliamentary Party meeting. Ch. Shujaat said he never opposed the judges restoration and it was up to the ruling coalition to decide how many judges would be restored and when.Hailing the removal of the graduation condition for contesting elections, Chaudhry Shujaat said it would help strengthen the democratic system.Commenting on he news conference addressed by leaders of the ruling coalition, Shujaat said there was no harmony in the statements of both the leaders.”I had earlier predicted that the one-month timeframe would come to an end but these politicians would not be able to settle the judges issue. Now you see, 9 days are left in the deadline and they have formed a committee to settle the issue,” he said.Shujaat reminded both the PPP and PML-N to shift their attention towards the issues being faced by the common public, saying that the government should shift its focus to resolve Atta, power and water crisis.”The PML would continue reminding the coalition government to fulfill the promises they made to the masses during their electoral campaign”, he said.Shujaat brushed aside the impression that the party was facing any internal split. “All the names which captured headlines in media are present here. They all are with the party,” he added.Earlier, Senator S.M. Zafar gave a detailed briefing about apossible resolution to restore the deposed judges.
Fifteen MNA of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) have formed the forward block in the party and these members have expressed no confidence on the leadership of the party. Sources told that the members of the forward block held a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday night.Riaz Fatyana, Prince Mohiyuddin, Akram Masih Gul, Jaffar Laghari, Kashmala Tariq, Dr.Samijho Nazir Jatt, Khawaja Shiraz, Ghous Bux Mehar, Rana Tauseef and other members attended the meeting while Jam Mohammad Yousuf and Zubeda Jalal from Balochistan assured on telephone of their joining the forward block.The forward block members said on this occasion that the party leadership is not making decisions by taking the members into confidence.They said that the party leadership including parliamentary leader in the national assembly Faisal Saleh Hayat and chief whip belong to Punjab.Besides, the members coming from the PPP into the PML (Q) are being given more importance.The members said that they would wait for a few days and thereafter their doors would be closed for the party leadership.
Pakistan Muslim League-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that former Sindh Chief Minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim was subjected to state violence and he would not demand judicial inquiry into the matter.Talking to media at the airport, he said protest would be registered over manhandling of former Sindh Chief Minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim after consultations with political allies.Nisar Memon and Muhammad Ali Durrani accompanied Chaudhery Shujaat Hussain. He said he would not demand any judicial inquiry into the matter. He, however, asked media to portray the incident in proper manner. He said MQM’s boycott from the session of Sindh Assembly was a good step and after consultations with Muttahida Qaumi Movement he would announce future course of action in a press conference today. Former Chief Minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim also arrived at Karachi airport to receive PML-Q president. A large number of PML-Q workers were present at the airport. Later, Chaudhery Shujaat went to Dr. Arbab’s residence.
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