Shujaat brewing love potion for Qadri and Khan

• PML-Q working on a formula to bring PTI, PAT on same page as ‘egos, leadership issues’ snag formation of anti-govt alliance
• PTI source says Imran, Qadri struggling for lead position in anti-govt movement, claims Khan concerned over ‘Qadri hype’, launched long march to revert media attention to PTI
• PML-Q information secretary hopeful of breakthrough between Khan and Qadri

Pakistan Today has learnt that the “question of leadership” has impeded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s decision for forming an alliance to topple the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, however the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief is “working on a formula” to bring the two closer.

Sources privy to the issues of both the parties told Pakistan Today that it were not differences in policy or strategy against the government but the question pertaining to the selection of the man who will lead both the parties in case of an alliance has made the leaderships sceptical.

Politicians active in bringing PTI and PAT on one platform believe that although the gestures made by PAT’s Dr Tahirul Qadri and PTI’s Imran Khan suggested that they were reluctant to joining hands anytime soon, although both were deeply in need to be together as a solo flight by any of the two leaders could result in a crash.

“Qadri thinks he has abundant resources for mass mobilisation, has diehard workers and also he has a claim of around ‘14 martyrs’ of the Model Town incident so he must lead the campaign,” sources privy to the efforts of PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat and Pervez Elahi for a joint anti-government campaign informed Pakistan Today, requesting anonymity

“On the other hand, the PTI chief thinks that he leads the biggest party in the country, has representation in the parliament, enjoys street power and can alone give a deadly blow to the Nawaz regime,” sources said.

“You know Chaudhry sahib (Shujaat) is blessed with the wisdom to settle disputes just like late Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. He is working on a formula acceptable to both leaders and soon Imran Khan and Qadri would be on the same page,” a PML-Q source privy to the details of the negotiation process said.

When contacted, PML-Q Secretary Information Senator Kamil Ali Agha confirmed that there were some irritants in alliance between PTI and PAT but asserted that those differences would soon be bridged.

“We have held meetings with PTI Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Dr Qadri. We understand there are some irritants. But we also know that both parties have a common agenda which is to get rid of the PML-N government which has taken over the reins of the country through rigged elections. So we hope that the Shujaat formula would work wonders and both the parties would come on the same page,” he added.

Agha said that Shujaat had conveyed his proposals to PTI’s Qureshi who had promised to share them with Khan and get back to the Chaudhrys soon. “Same is the case with the PAT chief. We have shared our proposals and he seemed positive. He would also be giving his response over it soon. Later, we will move forward hopefully,” he added.

Asked about the proposals, Agha said that the PTI vice chairman had brought a simple invitation, asking his party to join the August 14 long march.

“But Shujaat has informed the PTI leader that PML-Q was already a part of Dr Qadri’s alliance. He urged the PTI leadership to bring all the anti-government parties on one platform. He has also shared some proposals in this regard. Let’s hope for a positive feedback,” he said, adding that the same suggestions had also been shared with the PAT chief in a meeting on Wednesday.

Asked if egos were playing their part as irritants in alliance formation, Agha said that he was not privy to the case but both parties wanted the same objective so minimal differences could be surmounted.

Moreover, a PTI source told Pakistan Today that Khan was concerned due to the “rising public image” of Dr Qadri and wanted to divert the media’s attention from PAT to PTI.

The PTI politician said that following the Model Town massacre and the unprecedented media coverage of the events related to Dr Qadri’s return, Khan was “concerned” by the fact that Qadri was going to steal the show despite having no massive public support. Thus, Khan was “anxious and ambitious” in launching an anti-government campaign which was fast losing public support, he added.

“The PTI chief was impressed by the shift of public attention towards the PAT chief. So, in a bid to divert back media attention towards PTI, Khan took a premature decision in a bid to take a centre stage. During his Bahawalpur public meeting, Khan announced to launch ‘tsunami march’ on Islamabad without proper in-house consultations and even devoid of taking likeminded political outfits into confidence,” the PTI leader said.