The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has kept its identity in hard times and came out with flying colours due to the wise decisions of its leadership, which hopes that the people would support it in the next general elections, PML-Q Information Secretary Senator Kamil Ali Agha said in an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today.
Agha, a politician from old Lahore who was awarded a senate ticket by his party for March elections, said his party would contest the next general elections jointly with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). “There is nothing final in politics and situations change at the eleventh hour, but so far it is expected that the PML-Q and the PPP would contest elections jointly, as the PML-Nawaz leadership remains stubborn and there is a remote chance of the unification of PML factions,” he said.
Agha praised the Army, media and the judiciary for supporting democracy, saying that each institution should play its role to strengthen democracy and make Pakistan stronger. Agha, who remained a senator, a member of the national assembly, and a four-time councillor from Lahore, said that the Senate elections would be held in time.
He said the PML-Q had seen tough times immediately after the 2008 elections but it did not lose hope. “It was a hard time for us, as our members were hijacked by our opponents; but our leadership remained cool and our hard work paid us. Now we are in a strong position and have reorganised our party for the coming elections. We have stronger candidates than other parties and hope to win the next elections,” Agha said. He said his party had made major contributions during its previous rule, which ended in 2008.
“We introduced reforms in health, education, police, social and all other areas, and people liked all these steps. We would go to the people and present our achievements, and we are hopeful to get a positive response from them,” he said.
He said the party leadership had nothing against its former members who deserted the party, saying they would be welcomed back into the party if they wanted to come back. “In fact, we are in contact with a number of members and they are interested to support us in the Senate elections,” he said.
To a question about the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said the PML-Q “feels no threat from the PTI”. “We have done all the things that Imran Khan is now talking about. We are also in contact with the PTI and feel no threat from them.” To another question on the Balochistan issue, Agha said that foreign forces were working to destabilise Balochistan and were blaming the government and security forces for the unrest. He said that media and the judiciary needed to play their active role in restoring peace in Balochistan. “The Balochis are patriotic people but some parties and feudal lords are destabilising the province to achieve their malicious goals.”
To a question on the prime minister’s possible disqualification, he said the PM was defending the case with a positive attitude, as “he is not in any mood of confrontation and it is a good omen for the country”. He said if the current prime minister is disqualified, a new interim prime minister would be elected to keep the system intact, as “there is no chance of any martial law”. He said that Senate elections would be held in time and there was no possibility of a delay. He said the 20th Amendment would give legal cover to the recently held by-elections, and “there is nothing to worry about”. “The 20th Amendment is in the final phase and soon it will become part of the constitution,” Agha added.
