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LAHORE – Contrary to the occasional statements of goodwill supposedly existing between the PTI and the PML-Q as allies, the latter has been voicing discontent over the power-sharing arrangement from time to time ever since the formation of the coalition governments in Punjab and the center.
The PML-Q’s reservations over the implementation of the power-sharing agreement signed with the PTI surfaced again on Friday when it called an emergency meeting of its central committee to formulate a strategy in the wake of an upcoming joint session of the Parliament. The PTI desperately needs the cooperation from its allies especially from the PML-Q for the smooth sailing of its legislation package following its recent defeat in the National Assembly at the hands of the joint opposition. The legislation regarding electoral reforms is of utmost importance for the government in the current situation.
As far as the federal government is concerned, one of the main irritants in the PTI-PML-Q relationship stands removed after the allocation of a ministerial portfolio to Chaudhry Moonis Elahi. The PML-Q now has two ministers in the federal cabinet after the induction of Moonis Elahi as Minister for Water Resources. It also has a similar number of ministers in the Punjab cabinet too.
Expressing annoyance over the government’s attitude, party’s Punjab general secretary Kamil Ali Agha Friday said that it [the government] would contact the PML-Q only in a situation when it needed its cooperation. Even though the party meeting was convened after the government side approached the PML-Q leadership seeking its cooperation in the legislative business to be carried out in the Parliament, Kamil Agha chose to target the Punjab government for its alleged non-cooperation. Following the meeting, Senator Agha said that there were many complaints from the party MNAs and MPAs regarding the attitude of the Punjab government. “Setting aside the issue of having a good relationship with their allies, they will consult their own speaker only for the budget meetings, and for their own purpose,” he said, adding that the PML-Q was being kept out of the process of consultation over important matters.
The Friday’s meeting of the PML-Q central committee took place on the direction of party president Ch Shujaat Hussain under the chairmanship of Punjab Assembly Speaker and PML-Q Punjab president Ch Parvez Elahi. The meeting was attended by PML-Q general secretary and Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema, Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi, PML-Q Punjab general secretary and Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Members of National Assembly – Salik Hussain and Hussain Elahi – and other party leaders.
According to a press release issued at the end of the meeting, issues related to present and future political situation and the concerns over the attitude of the Punjab government were openly discussed in detail besides the future road map. The meeting will continue till tomorrow to make important decisions, it has been learnt.
In Punjab, the PML-Q has been seeking complete administrative control in districts having a maximum number of its MNAs and MPAs. Besides, it has also been complaining about keeping it out of the consultation process over important issues like the legislation regarding the local governments.