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The Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) on Monday suspended the basic party membership of Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi over reports that he is considering merging the party with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan.
A show-cause notice served to Elahi by PMLQ Secretary General Tariq Bashir Cheema—and also forwarded to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)—said that party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had summoned an urgent meeting of senior party leaders and asserted that Elahi, as the provincial president, did not have the authority to merge the PMLQ with PTI. “Your [Elahi] party membership is suspended until the explanation,” read the notice, requiring him to explain his position.
According to the notice, the PMLQ has an individual identity, vote bank, party discipline, and rules and regulations that Elahi violated through his statements hinting at a merger with the PTI. “In relation to that, you [Elahi] are served a notice of seven days demanding an explanation within those days—either as an individual or by the lawyer—for such an unlawful and unconstitutional act,” it said, adding that if he failed to provide any explanation, action would be taken against him under Articles 16 and 50 of the party’s constitution.
Elahi forwarded a summary to dissolve the Punjab Assembly—on the directives of PTI Chairman Imran Khan—last week. During a media interaction on Sunday, he addressed rumors of the PMLQ merging with the PTI ahead of elections, claiming that this would be beneficial for both parties. To a question, he said that both he and his son, Moonis, believed this would be a positive development.
According to sources within the PMLQ, Cheema has also issued show-cause notices to Moonis, Hussain Elahi and Kamil Ali Agha.