ISLAMABAD – Right in the middle of a political crisis in the country’s most populous province, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujat Hussain has terminated Senator Kamil Ali Agha’s party membership and removed him as secretary general of the party’s Punjab chapter.
The move came after Agha did not respond to a show-cause notice issued by Hussain after he accepted a resolution to impeach Shujaat as the party president.
On Shujat’s directions, PML-Q Secretary General Tariq Bashir Cheema issued a notification to expel Agha from the party and said the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Senate chairman would be asked to remove Agha as a senator.
The press release issued by the party said that Agha was sent a show-cause notice on August 4, 2022, seeking an explanation for holding a so-called party meeting at the Muslim League House, Lahore, on July 28, 2022.
The fault lines in the party became visible when Shujat refused to support Elahi during the Punjab chief minister’s election, saying that he would not back PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s candidate — even if it was his brother.
As a result, Elahi lost the election to PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz by 10 votes as they were rejected following Shujat’s letter to former deputy speaker Dost Mazari.
But Hamza’s victory was short lived as the court ruled in favour of Elahi.
Following these developments, in late June, the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the PML-Q decided to remove party president Shujat from office, citing health issues.
“It has become necessary to isolate Ch Shujat to save the party from destruction,” said Senator Kamil Ali Agha while talking to the media after the CWC meeting in Lahore.
However, later the PML-Q’s Central Executive Committee reposed confidence in the leadership of Shujat and decided to send a show-cause notice to Senator Agha and others for holding an “illegal meeting” in Lahore.
Shujat was elected the party president and Cheema secretary back in January 2021.
