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Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain suspends basis party membership of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi; issues show cause notice

LAHORE, Jan 16 (SABAH): The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Monday suspended the basic party membership of Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi for talking about the possibility of his party’s possible merger with the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

In his show-cause notice to Elahi, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain 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.

“Your [Elahi] party membership is suspended until the explanation,” the notice, a copy of which has also been sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), read.

The statement went on to say that PML-Q, as a political party, maintains its individual identity, vote bank, party discipline, and rules and regulations which Elahi violated through his statements.

“In relation to that, you [Elahi] are served a notice of seven days demanding an explanation within those days — either as an individual or by the lawyer — for such an unlawful and unconstitutional act.”

“Otherwise, action would be taken against you under the party constitution’s article 16 and article 50,” the notice added.

The decision to issue a show-cause notice to Elahi was taken during a high-level party meeting with Secretary-General Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema, Senior Vice President Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and senior leader Chaudhry Shafay Hussain in attendance.

Meanwhile a show-cause notice was also sent to MNA Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, MNA Hussain Elahi and Senator Kamil Ali Agha, saying that it was found they were joining another party with Parvez Elahi.

The notice said that their National Assembly seats and senatorship were a trust of the PML-Q with them and any such move of theirs to join another party would be unconstitutional.

It added that if any of them wanted to join another party then they should relinquish their positions and resign otherwise the PML-Q would have no other option than to approach the Election Commission of Pakistan to de-seat them.

The notice gave them a seven-day period to provide an explanation for themselves.

According to sources, PML-Q cannot merge with PTI as it is registered under the name of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).