Chaudhry Parvez Elahi announces to join PTI along with 10 former MPAs
LAHORE, Feb 21 (SABAH): In a major development, former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chauhdry Parvez Elahi Tuesday announced joining the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) along with 10 of his party’s former MPAs.
The announcement came hours after PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain — Elahi’s cousin — sacked him as the party’s Punjab president and revoked his basic membership.
“After lengthy discussions, Parvez Elahi and other leaders have finally decided to join PTI today,” PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said during a press conference alongside Elahi in Lahore after the ex-Punjab CM’s meeting with Khan.
Fawad Chauhdry said that the entire party welcomes Elahi and his aides as they have now set on the path towards a “new Pakistan”. “Parvez Elahi has rendered sacrifices and stood by Imran Khan through thick and thin.”
Upon Elahi’s insistence, Fawad told journalists that the party has also decided to appoint the former PML-Q leader as PTI’s president and the senior leadership has also green-lighted the decision.
“We will move forward over this step in line with our party’s constitution,” Fawad — whom Elahi had criticised last month but later withdrew his statement — said.
For his part, Elahi said that the PTI chief has promised of appointing him as the party’s president due to his sacrifices during the party’s tough times.
“I have supported Imran Khan during difficult times and proved my loyalty through chief ministership,” Elahi — who lost the top office after dissolving the assembly last month — said.
Recalling the days when he dissolved the Punjab Assembly last month at the desire of the PTI chief, the former CM said that he would everything which in turn is beneficial for the country.
Earlier on Tuesday, former prime minister Imran Khan held a meeting with former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in connection with the merger of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Imran Khan and Parvez Elahi discussed the joint political alignment during the meeting. PTI Secretary General Asad Umar and 10 former PML-Q lawmakers and senior leaders were present in the meeting.
Hafiz Ammar Yasir, Shujaat Nawaz, Abdullah Yousuf Warraich, Bao Rizwan, Sajid Bhatti, Ahsanul Haq, Muhammad Afzal, Bisma Chaudhry, and Khadija Umar Farooqi also participated.
Meanwhile in a statement earlier about sacking Elahi, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that the former Punjab chief minister “is banned from using PML-Q’s name in the future”.
The party’s president had earlier issued a show-cause notice to Elahi on January 16, suspending his membership for talking about the possibility of his party’s possible merger with the PTI.
The notice mentioned that Shujaat called an urgent meeting of the senior leaders, where it was noted that the provincial president — Elahi — did not have the authority to merge the party with PTI.
He was also sent a notice for summoning the party’s non-constitutional meeting in Lahore on January 26. Positions of people appointed in the party by the former chief minister have also been withdrawn.
Elahi was asked to respond to the party’s show-cause notice within seven days clarifying his position on merging the PML-Q with PTI, as no provincial president can do so constitutionally.
The party also questioned the former chief executive of Punjab for conducting a “fake” and “unconstitutional” meeting, violating the code of conduct.
“While acting against the party’s central leadership, you attempted to plot its dismissal. This step by you has caused immense damage to the party,” the statement read.
After the politician or his representative failed to issue a clarification, Elahi was dismissed from his positions and basic membership of the party, as per the Constitution’s Party Act 2006.
“Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and his aides/companions/followers could leave Q league to join PTI,” a senior leader of the party, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, said.
He added that members elected on PML-Q’s seats could resign and leave the party. “Parvez Elahi has no right to merge PML-Q with PTI.”
Meanwhile in the first phase of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) “Jail Bharo Tehreek (court arrest movement)” being started today (Wednesday), the party’s senior leaders — Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar — have voluntarily decided to surrender themselves to the authorities, Fawad Chaudhry said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the PTI’s senior vice president said that PTI Vice Chairman Qureshi and PTI Secretary General Umar have announced voluntary surrendering before the law enforcers.
In the wake of sedition cases filed against his party leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill, PTI Chairman Imran Khan on February 4 announced “Jail Bharo Tehreek”.
Fawad welcomed a statement reportedly issued by the ECP that the body was “ready to hold elections in 90 days”.
He termed the announcement “a right step in the right direction.” In the same breath, the PTI leader said that President Arif Alvi set April 9 as the date for the general election in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — the move rejected by the ruling alliance — adding that the date could not be changed as per the Election Act and the Constitution.
A day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) excused itself from holding consultations with President Alvi on polls in the provinces, the head of state on Monday (yesterday) announced holding elections in the two provinces on April 9.
Moving towards the upcoming elections in the country, the PTI leader said that the party would start allocating tickets to the candidates from next week. The PTI’s election campaign will reach its peak when Khan will join it within one-and-a-half week.
Fawad Chaudhry said that Khan has directed the party to kickstart preparations for the upcoming elections. He urged the PTI’s candidates to launch election campaigns in their respective constituencies. The PTI would launch a countrywide public awareness campaign, he added.
Referring to the NAB’s notices to the PTI leadership in the Toshakhana scam, Fawad said that the anti-graft watchdog’s chairman has exposed the government by tendering his resignation.