ISLAMABAD: Former President Asif Ali Zardari reached out to the ruling party’s only ally in Punjab, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), on Monday, just days after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership met with leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to devise a strategy to depose the incumbent government.
The former president’s approach to the government ally not only conveyed a clear message to the ruling PTI, but it also boosted opposition parties’ efforts to depose Prime Minister Imran Khan, as the Chaudhry brothers have a reputation as kingmakers due to their political clout behind the scenes.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the former PPP president visited senior PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s residence in Lahore on Monday and inquired about his health.
The meeting, they added, was not confined to that, but the political environment, potential future alliances, and opposition parties’ recently formed consensus to oust PM Imran were all addressed in depth over dinner.
Zardari met with Shujaat, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema, Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi, and MNA Chaudhry Salik Hussain for about two and a half hours to discuss the current political situation and future course of action, according to sources.
Zardari met the Chaudhry brothers alone for around half an hour during the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, according to sources. In the absence of official confirmation, it has been speculated that Zardari attempted to persuade the PML-Q leadership to leave the government coalition because they were being held equally responsible for all policies and actions.
When they travel to people in their constituencies, the PPP and PML-Q meeting comes at a time when the ruling party is pushing its narrative of “everything is well,” but its allies have publicly stated that they can’t justify the government’s performance, particularly the skyrocketing inflation.
PM Imran should make difficult decisions to improve public life, according to the Chaudhry brothers, who are famously known as the Chaudhrys of Gujrat. As a coalition partner of the ruling PTI, the PML-Q is concerned about the government’s policies.
The meeting takes place on the same day when the leadership of PTI allies in Sindh, particularly the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), was quoted as saying that how could people be satisfied with MQM-P when they were unhappy with PM Imran’s performance.
The meeting between opposition parties as well as Zardari approaching the PML-Q has set alarm bells ringing in the power corridors at a time when the ruling party is gearing up for the upcoming local government elections in Punjab after losing to the JUI-F in its heartland – Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
