LAHORE – Pakistan Muslim League-Q parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Zaheeruddin has said that his opposition party will not move a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, as they did not have the required number of legislators to do so.
Addressing a news conference at the Muslim League House on Friday, Zaheer said that the PML-Q was not in a position to present any such move in the House, however, he pledged to continue exposing the “other” face of the Sharif brothers. Calling the expulsion of PPP ministers unconstitutional, he said that his party would challenge all unconstitutional steps taken by the PML-N-led Punjab government.
He said that the Punjab chief minister was in minority and according to the constitution, he had no authority to expel any cabinet member or to dissolve the cabinet before taking a vote of confidence. Zaheer said that the Unification bloc was a group of turncoats formed by the PML-N leaders and funded by the Punjab government and action would be taken against them for not honoring party policies.
The PML-Q leader said that his party’s policy was to play the role of a true opposition, and per party rules no forward bloc member could become part of the government. Commenting on the first meeting of the Unification Bloc, he said public money was being spent for the members of the group. He claimed that a secretariat had been provided to the Unification Bloc at the CM Secretariat where all state machinery was being used.
He said that his information revealed that only 22 members of the Unification Group had attended the bloc’s first meeting. Zaheer said that the PML-N leadership, especially Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, always wished to have a “pocket opposition” while remaining in the power corridors.
He said that the chief minister was under oath not to prefer his own interest over national interest, but he had violated the oath by promoting the Unification Bloc. The PML-Q leader said corruption was at its peak and millions of rupees were being provided to members of the Unification Bloc, adding that the PML-N leadership would be held responsible for all the unconstitutional actions and the time was not far when the party would be brought to the public’s court.
He said that the ouster of PPP ministers from the Punjab cabinet had been challenged in the Lahore High Court and the Punjab governor should have asked Shahbaz to show majority before signing the summary for the expulsion of PPP ministers.
To another question, he said that the PML-Q would take the dissidents back, as they were not expelled and “they have a right to come to the right track once they come to their senses.”
