PTI and PML-Q reach deal, Usman Buzdar quits as Punjab CM
Imran Khan, Pervaiz Elahi (second from left) hold talks at Bani Gala, Islamabad, on Monday. Twitter photo
In a major development on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan nominated Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Pervaiz Elahi as the next chief minister of Punjab as Usman Buzdar handed over his resignation to the premier, according to Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting.
According to local media reports, Imran has succeeded in wooing his estranged ally PML-Q to support him on the matter of no-confidence motion tabled against him by the joint opposition in the National Assembly (NA) on Monday.
The development came after successful negotiations between Imran and Elahi were held at Bani Gala.
Habib confirmed the development, saying, “All issues were settled after Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi met Prime Minister Imran Khan” at his Bani Gala resident in Islamabad.
He said during the meeting, the PML-Q leadership expressed full confidence in PM Imran and announced its support to him on no-trust voting in the lower house.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar, he said, has submitted his resignation to the prime minister.
Imran has decided in principle to nominate Elahi as Punjab CM, he added.
Imran’s special assistant on political communication Shahbaz Gill also said that the PML-Q leadership has assured its support to the premier on the no-trust move.
"The PTI will support Elahi as the candidate for the post of Punjab chief minister," he announced on his official Twitter handle on Monday.
PML-Q's leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi has also confirmed that the post has been accepted by Elahi.
Elahi along with a dozen senior party leaders met PM at his residence in Bani Gala — after NA accepted a no-trust motion against Imran– for the final round of talks choosing a side.
After tough negotiations, the premier has accepted their demand to sacrifice Buzdar in favour of Elahi.
Political pundits believe that Imran has turned tables on the opposition after accepting the demand of removal of Buzdar.
Now, most likely the disgruntled group of the ruling party will support the prime minister on a no-trust motion against him. However, the situation will be clear in a couple of days before the upcoming National Assembly session.
Earlier in the day, the much-anticipated session of the lower house of parliament to deliberate on the no-confidence motion was adjourned till March 31 after opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif tabled the motion followed by the counting procedure to determine the number of lawmakers in favour.
More than 155 lawmakers were in favour of tabling the motion against the premier.
The opposition, which has 162 members, filed the no-confidence motion on March 8. The motion, moved by 152 opposition members, said that Imran had lost the confidence of the house. The ruling coalition currently has the support of 179 members of the National Assembly.
