LAHORE: The PTI government’s relations with its important ally in Punjab PML-Q had gone sour after Imran had abruptly changed the committee (led by senior leader Jahangir Tareen) working on addressing the administrative and development issues being confronted by the coalition partners in Punjab and the Centre.
It had emerged that the PML-Q wanted to have its administrative share of the districts in Punjab, where it had its political base with winning MPAs and MNAs. Since the change, the PML-Q leadership wanted that several decisions, including a due share in the administrative power through bureaucracy, agreed upon with the Tareen committee, be implemented.
The Tareen-led committee had reportedly also agreed to empower two PML-Q ministers in Punjab and one at the Centre and the ally party leadership wanted to implement the earlier agreed upon decisions, which were recorded in minutes too.
After the formation of the new committee, Elahi, who was spearheading the talks with the PTI, had expressed his strong resentment over non- implementation of the agreement and given a week’s deadline for its implementation. The PML-Q leader had also threatened that it could review its alliance with the government in case the commitment was not honoured.
Last week, federal minister Shafqat Mahmood had made a personal visit and held an informal meeting with Elahi to discuss the party’s reservations and gauge the level of resentment in the PML-Q ranks.
Last Thursday, the Punjab governor and chief minister visited Islamabad and attended a joint meeting of the new committees constituted by the prime minister.
