No room for Elahi in PMLQ: Shafay

LAHORE: In view of the ongoing exodus of leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following the May 9 mayhem, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, the elder son of Chaudhry Shujaat, on Saturday clarified that there was no room for Pervaiz Elahi in the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMLQ). Talking to journalists outside the Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) in Lahore — which came under an attack by the supporters of PTI last month — Shafay said, “Pervaiz Elahi will be most welcomed if he wants to come as a family [member] but politically, it will be better for him to form his own party.”

“The miscreants burnt everything in Jinnah House,” the PMLQ leader said, adding that those involved in the arson attack at the house should be punished. Khan’s arrest earlier this month sparked days of street protests after which the PTI leaders’ exodus started, as security forces launched a crackdown against the party following the attacks on civil and military institutions, including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House. At least eight people were killed in the violent protests in the country. Shafay was of the view that PTI was behind the attacks on the military installations and smashing statues of the national heroes. Stressing the need for joint efforts, he said together we have to strengthen the country.