SIGNALING a thaw in the otherwise strained ties between the ruling PTI and one of its key coalition partners, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday visited PML (Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at his residence in Lahore to enquire after his health. The Prime Minister also privately spoke with Ch Shujaat and Pervez Elahi and assured them that their party’s reservations will be addressed.
It has been a consistent complaint of the PML (Q) leadership that being an allied party it is not being contacted and consulted by the ruling party on important matters. Earlier this month, the PML-Q not only skipped the luncheon hosted by the Prime Minister but also accused the ruling party of never trying to address the coalition partner’s grievances in the last two years. The concerns are genuine. Both the PTI and the PML-Q had made a political alliance and contested the 2018 elections on a seat adjustment basis. In this context, it was and is the responsibility of the PTI to take the allied party along and make it part of the consultation process and decision making. By visiting Shujaat, we understand the Prime Minister has made a beginning. However, this should not end here. This process of engagement with the allies, especially the PML (Q), must continue. The PTI should not forget that the PML-Q and other allies have always supported the government in difficult times and at a time when the PDM has launched a massive protest campaign, it needs all out support from the allies to face the opposition. The fact of the matter is both Ch Shujaat Hussain and Pervez Elahi are very seasoned politicians and have seen many ups and downs of politics. And their advice or suggestions can really help the PTI to see things in the right perspective and make right decisions in order to take forward the country. Efforts must also be made to bring down the political temperature by engaging with the opposition parties. During the sit-in of Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the federal capital, the PML-Q leadership had played a very important role. The same responsibility can be entrusted to the party again to take the situation towards normalization.
