LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has yet again expressed its reservations about the functioning of the Punjab government, complaining that the party leadership is not being taken on board in decision-making.

The Chaudhrys of Gujrat have been hammering every now and then that the Punjab government is not taking the PML-Q leadership, as well as its ministers in the cabinet, on board.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government at the Centre had put off this week’s joint session of parliament after struggling to gather the required number of lawmakers and due to reservations of its allies over the proposed electoral reforms bills regarding the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) and voting rights for overseas Pakistanis. The PML-Q, an ally of the ruling PTI in the Centre and Punjab, had reportedly sought some time for in-house consultations on the EVMs, saying they had certain reservations over the proposal.

Party’s central committee to formulate its strategy today

The allies, in their meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan, had complained that they were not consulted on the reforms and before convening the joint session. It is learnt that other allies, including the MQM, had also expressed reservations over the EVM and other issues and wanted PM Khan to hold meetings and address their concerns.

PML-Q secretary general and MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema had also expressed his party’s reservations ahead of the federal and Punjab budgets for the current financial year.

The PML-Q central committee met on Friday under the chairmanship of the party’s Punjab president and provincial Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and openly discussed the current political situation as well as concerns over the Punjab government’s attitude. The committee will meet again on Saturday (today) to formulate its strategy.

“Despite being an ally, the Punjab government only meets the assembly speaker during budget meetings and when it needs his support,” observed Senator Kamil Ali Agha at the committee meeting.

He also said the party had several complaints on the attitude of the Punjab government.

The gathering stressed that it was only expressing concerns against the Punjab government for now and not voicing its grudges against the federal government yet. “The PML-Q leadership is currently expressing concerns against the Punjab government and will be free to exercise all its political options if its concerns are not addressed,” a PML-Q leader was quoted as saying.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2021