LAHORE. A battle for Punjab is likely to prove a Waterloo for Chaudharys of Gujrat .
The chaudharys’ decision to accept Imran Khan’s offer to become chief minister of Punjab and in return help the beleaguered prime minister to sail through in the national assembly by defeating opposition’s no confidence motion is going to be a difficult, if not impossible, test of Pakistan Muslim League (PML- Q) .
The chaudharys of Gujrat have decades long history of manevouring the politics in their favour and extract its benefits. PMLQ, which is like a family concern of Nuts of Gujrat as majority of its elected members comes from within the family, was considered as a trusted political party of Pakistan’s military establishment . There was a perception among the public at large that the military establish looks after political interest of PMLQ and in return its leadership voices for the military leadership when and where needed. PMLQ leadership was also considered as a conscious political stuff which thinks thrice before taking a decision I any crucial political situation of Pakistan . It has also been a rare scene that media plays any news of differences in PMLQ and, particularly, between Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhary Pervez Elahi . But Chaudhary Pervez Elahi’s decision to jump into Imran Khan’s bandwagon in a political situation wherein his own party is facing quick disintegration has changed the whole myth of PMLQ and its House of Nuts. It contradicted decades old perception that PMLQ looks towards military establishment for its decisions . It also established that Chaudharys of Gujrat can go for power, particularly, in Punjab without considering its possible fallout in case of failure . Before adding to the story as what and who played a role in prompting Chaudhary Pervez Elahi to accept the PTI’s offer to become the chief minister of Punjab one needs to go through the number game in Punjab assembly. The ruling party.. PTI .. has 183 members in Punjab assembly , next come PMLN with 165 members. PMLQ has only 10 members in Punjab assembly . The Pakistan People Party (PPP) has 7 members in the Punjab assembly and 5 members including Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, are maintaining independent status in the procvincial assembly. Pakistan Rah e Haq Party has one member in the Punjab assembly.
Chaudhary Pervez Elahi is apparently banking on two pockets to win majority vote and become chief minister of Punjab. One, Tareen group and second , dissident group of PMLN in the Punjab assembly . Tareen himself is a victim of Imran Khan’s style of politics and his group will prefer to go with PMLN to save its future politics . The option of Tareen group may not work for Chaudhary Pervez Elahi . His possible second option of dissident group of PMLN apparently enjoys support of only maximum 14 members and it may not be able to give Chaudhary Pervez Elahi required number to become chief minister of Punjab . Let’s go back as to who pushed wise Pervez Elahi into sluggish waters by forcing him to accept PTI offer to become chief minister Punjab when the game number was not in favour of the ruling party. According to PMLN senior leader , Rana Sana ullah , Moonis Elahi , was instrumental in persuading to Chaudhary Pervez Elahi in bringing to an understanding with the ruling party in Punjab.
Informed sources told NEWSMAN that Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain was extremely unhappy over Chaudhary Pervez Elahi’s decision of accepting chief minister office in Punjab and he had expressed his annoyance over this development when Pervez Elahi and other members of delegation of PMLQ returned back from Bani Gala where they had announced understanding with the prime minister and his team. It may be noted that Chaudhary Moonis Elahi, who is a federal minister, also had announced that PTI has offered Chaudhary Pervez Elahi to become chief minister Punjab and the offer has been accepted also.
According to our sources , Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain had issued a press release to the media to dispel media reports of differences in PMLQ over Chaudhary Pervez Elahi’s decision of accepting chief minister office in Punjab after having pressure from the family .
Pervez Elahi ‘s possibility of becoming next chief minister also goes dim when PPP supremo , Asif Ali Zardari, says ‘ You (Pervez Elahi) are late and now its the opposition which would decide who will be the next chief minister Punjab”.
