–PML-Q leader says he told PM his party wants to resolve issues with govt amicably
–PM Imran expected to include Tareen in new dialogue committees after latter conveys concern to Khattak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) senior leader and scion of the Chaudhry family of Gujrat, Moonis Elahi, on Wednesday met Prime Minister Imran Khan in a bid to bridge the gulf that has come between the two allied parties in the government.
The meeting comes after Moonis’ father, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, told a representative of the newly-formed government committee tasked with holding talks with the allied parties that they preferred meeting the premier directly instead of negotiating with his representatives.
On Monday, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood held a meeting with Punjab Assembly Speaker Elahi but failed to convince him to hold talks with the government committee. The PML-Q leader reportedly told the minister that further dialogues would not be possible until the implementation of the recommendations tabled by the previous dialogue committee comprising Jahangir Tareen and Pervez Khattak.
On Sunday, the PML-Q had demanded the federal government led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to start implementation on the negotiated matters that include allocation of development funds for PML-Q lawmakers and appointment of bureaucrats of the party’s choice in five districts.
Talking to reporters after meeting PM Imran, Moonis said that the first meeting with the latter was good.
“We talked openly and whatever the PM said was clear. After all these happenings, I think things will get right,” he said, adding that he had informed Imran about the PML-Q’s concerns and had also assured him of their support in resolving the issues amicably.
“It was unfair to set up another committee when a committee was already working on the issue,” Moonis said, adding that some people, who had been associated with the PML-Q in the past, had misled Imran Khan.
Moonis rejected reports that his party wanted to topple the government of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
“However, some people want to fail Imran Khan. It was our agreement with the PTI that our ministers would be fully empowered, they would be able to do transfers and postings and there would be no interference in our ministries. Matters about three districts were also settled,” he said.
Referring to Elahi’s meeting with Shafqat Mehmood, Moonis said Mahmood had assured his party that decisions taken by the committee comprising Tareen and Khattak would be implemented. He added that work on transfers and postings was underway, but the issue of release of development funds has yet to be sorted out.
“We want this alliance to work and it is also our desire to contest the next election together,” he said, denying that his father Pervez Elahi was eyeing the CM’s office.
TAREEN UNHAPPY:
Meanwhile, PTI senior leader Tareen is reportedly unhappy for being ignored in the new dialogue committees formed by PM Imran.
In a meeting with Khattak on Wednesday, Tareen is said to have conveyed his reservations over some party leaders who were giving the impression that he was responsible for the breakdown in the talks process with allied parties.
According to some reports, Khattak has conveyed Tareen’s reservations to PM Imran and the latter had invited Tareen for a meeting at his Bani Gala residence on Thursday. It is said that the PM would include Tareen in the new dialogue committees in a bid to placate him.
