Shahbaz’s goodwill phone call to Shujaat brings ‘contacts’ to surface

LAHORE: PML-N president and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif phoned PML-Q chief Ch Shujaat Hussain and inquired about his health.

Shahbaz also conveyed the message of former premier Nawaz Sharif for his early recovery and good wishes. The PML-Q president expressed gratitude to the Sharif brothers. It is pertinent to mention that already there have been reports of contact between the leadership of both sides for some months but neither of them confirmed it. However, this is the first contact between two arch political rivals whose details have been made public. Currently, the PML-Q is the most important ally of the PTI in Centre and Punjab. In Punjab, the PML-Q has 10 MPAs due to which the PTI government has attained the figure of 186 which is required to prove simple majority. The PTI government in Punjab could be put on ‘ventilator’ in case the PML-Q withdraws its support. However, the PML-Q leadership has time and again vowed support to the PTI and recently Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi also held a meeting with Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and expressed confidence in his leadership. The PML-Q still has differences with the PTI over not making Moonis Elahi minister in the federal cabinet despite commitment by the latter.