Rifts within PML-Q intensify after Shujaat Hussain ‘removed as party president’

LAHORE – As the differences within the Chaudhry family widen further, the Pakistan Muslim League–Quaid (PML-Q) general council on Thursday “removed” Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as president of the party.

A meeting of the general council was held at the Pakistan Muslim League House situated at Davis Road in Lahore where former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and his like-minded party leaders were present.

The council has decided to appoint Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain as the party chief while Kamil Ali Agha has been named as central secretary general to replace Tariq Bashir Cheema.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Investments Chaudhry Salik Hussain, the son of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, rejected the development. He said Shujaat Hussain is constitutionally and legally president of the party and “this truth cannot be denied by hold fake meeting of the council general”.

عمران خان نے ڈانٹا ہوگا کہ پہلے اپنی پارٹی تو سنبھال لیں پھر سیٹ ایڈجسٹمنٹ کی بات کریں ۔ چودھری شجاعت صاحب قانونی اور آئینی طور پر پارٹی کے صدر ہیں اور جنرل کونسل کا جعلی اجلاس بلا کر حقیقت کو تبدیل نہیں کیا جا سکتا ! pic.twitter.com/8gl1wlgICS

— Salik Hussain (@ChSalikHussain) January 26, 2023

The development comes more than a week after Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain suspended the membership of Elahi over his statement about merging the PML-Q with the PTI. The then-party president also issued a show cause notice to the former chief minister on his statement, stating: “Your [Elahi] party membership is suspended until the explanation".

In July last year, a bid was also made to remove Shujaat and Cheema from their positions and hold fresh intra-patry elections. However, Shujaat moved the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which barred the PML-Q from holding intra-party polls.

 The differences within the party started emerging since Parvez Elahi and his son Moonis Elahi-led faction decided to side with PTI chief Imran Khan and form government in Punjab. 

Punjab CM Parvez Elahi hints at merger of PML-Q and PTI