A day after reaching out to Fazl, Shujaat meets Zardari

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Political activities intensified after submission of no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan as the opposition started meeting government allies.

On Wednesday, former prime minister and PMLQ President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and former president Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting and discussed the political situation. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain visited the residence of Asif Ali Zardari along with Minister for Housing and Works and PMLQ Secretary General Tariq Bashir Cheema and Chaudhry Salik Hussain.

It was Chaudhry Shujaat' back-to-back meeting with opposition parties as on Tuesday night he held meeting with PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Though no joint statement was issued by the PPP and PMLQ about the meeting but it was understood that the talks focused on the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and post no-confidence motion situation.

Speaking in Geo News programme 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath', PMLQ leader Tariq Bashir Cheema, who is also a federal minister, meanwhile, said that allies were standing by the government while its (PTI’s) own members were breaking away.

Cheema said he had advised the prime minister to watch out for his members, asking him why were they breaking away. He said the PM had told him in a meeting that therewas no issue, only seven or eight people were problematic while other were only enjoying the situation.

Cheema said that after meetings (with PMLQ leaders), all, including Imran Khan, Asif Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rahman etc, were satisfied. “Who is standing where would be clear in three or four days,” he added.

“Government’s own members are breaking away… How is possible for me to state that I am standing (with Imran Khan) even if the PTI dumps him,” he quipped. Sources, meanwhile, claimed that the contacts between PPP and MQM had been made and the MQM delegation would meet Asif Ali Zardari at Zardari House, Islamabad today (Thursday).

Sources said the MQM delegation would be led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and it is expected that no-confidence motion against the prime minister would be on agenda. Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari convened the luncheon meeting of PPP MNAs on Thursday at Sindh House in Islamabad.

Asif Ali Zardari will also attend the luncheon meeting of the PPP MNAs. PPP chairman directed all the PPP MNAs to ensure their presence in the meeting. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will take his party members into confidence regarding no-trust motion. During the luncheon meeting, the consultations were made on the party's strategy for the success of the no-confidence motion.