Lahore

Chaudhrys step up efforts to counter no-trust Tuesday, October 28, 2008 By Faizan Bangash LAHORE CHAUDHRYS have accelerated efforts to counter the expected no-confidence move planned against them by the groups of PML-Q dissidents. Sources in the party revealed that PML-Q Punjab President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has decided to launch a tour of Punjab in the coming weeks to garner the support of party members from the province where a strong bloc of party dissidents has emerged against the party top brass. Sources said the party’s provincial president was holding meetings with his close aides and loyalists from Punjab. These meeting may play an important role in countering any no-confidence move against the party leadership from two different groups, including the un-elected members as well as the group of dissident MNAs. It was learnt that within a period of three days, the party’s provincial president held three meetings with party’s female MPAs and other provincial leaders to devise strategy to ‘crush’ the revolt. A meeting with the party female MPAs was held on October 25 at the residence of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in which all the party’s female MPAs except Saba Sadiq and Naghma Mushtaq participated. Similarly, in another meeting with senior provincial and local leaders held on Monday, the party’s provincial chief once again directed his close aides to speed up contact with party members from all over the province. In the same meeting, the party’s provincial president unveiled his plan to launch the tour of Punjab for gaining support of party members. It was learnt that in order to bring a successful no-confidence against the party leadership, the dissidents need the support of some 4,000 registered members of the party which certainly includes a large number of party’s local office-bearers and un-elected members. For the purpose, the senior leader of the party has also directed the ‘loyalists’ to focus mainly on the un-elected members to form a strong defence line in case any attempt made to dethrone the arty leadership from the top party office. The Monday’s meeting was also attended by Opposition Leader in Provincial Assembly Chaudhry Zaheer ud Din, the party’s provincial leaders, including Raja Basharat, Arshed Khan Lodhi, Moonis Elahi, Lahore President Mian Munir, Central Executive Committee member Mian Tahir Siddiq and a few women MPAs. During this meeting, Pervaiz Elahi urged the party members to remain united. He also assured the members that the no-confidence would be a failure. Most of the members in the party have started to express their open no confidence against the party leadership while holding them responsible for party’s defeat in the general elections. At a press conference held in Lahore on Sunday, MNA Riaz Fatyana demanded Chaudhrys to step down from the party leadership while accusing them of damaging the party by making decisions of their own choice. The group of dissident MNAs, apparently led by Riaz Fatyana, has exceeded over 30 out of total 54 now. A group of party dissidents include the un-elected members of the party who want to reunite the party but don’t intend to accept the leadership of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi. In a meeting held at the residence of senior party leader Hamid Nasir Chattha on October 23, most of the members, comprising mostly the un-elected members, expressed their no-confidence against the present top brass of the party. However, this group wants to reunite the party so that a future line of action could be planned. There is also a group within the party which wants to see President Musharraf as the new party chief but sources said the former President did not have enough number of supporters in the party. The PML-Q, once known as the King’s Party, is facing severe division after its defeat in the general elections and stepping down of Pervez Musharraf. The party has faced the formation of Forward Bloc in the National and Provincial Assemblies and sources said that the current leadership of the party was expected to have a tough time in case any no-confidence is moved against them.