Cracks within the coalition government appeared visible on Saturday after Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi traded barbs, with the former accusing the latter’s party (PML-Q) of “blackmailing” the government for Punjab’s chief minister position in return for support during the opposition’s no-trust move against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Rashid, during a press conference in Quetta on Saturday, was asked where he would stand in case of the opposition’s success in the no-confidence resolution against the premier. To this, he said his support for the prime minister was unequivocal and akin to a “rock” before taking a veiled jibe at PML-Q which became clearer when he clarified that he was speaking in the context of Punjab.
“I am not like those who have five seats and blackmail the premier to assume the chief minister’s office,” the interior minister said in an apparent reference to PML-Q leaders who have reportedly demanded to de-seat CM Punjab Usman Buzdar. PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi hit back at Rashid, alleging that he “used to take money from the party’s elders during his student life”.
The PML-Q has asked the prime minister to announce Chaudhry Parvez Elahi the replacement of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar before calling the session of the National Assembly to take up the opposition’s no-trust motion. The demand is despite the party holding just five seats in the lower house. “The PML-Q leadership has conveyed to the prime minister to announce Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi as the Punjab chief minister forthwith as this will help save the PTI government in Punjab in the face of ‘rebellion’ by the [Jahangir] Tareen group.
