Chaudhrys under fire for 'autocracy'

LAHORE - PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain and former Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi have alleged that the government did not take appropriate measures to avert Chakwal tragedy despite having prior information of such a happening.
They were talking to the newsmen after the PML-Q Punjab Advisory Committee meeting here at the Muslim League House on Monday. Senators, MNAs, MPAs, ticket holders and district presidents and general secretaries attended the meeting.
According to insiders, the Chaudhrys faced severe criticism from some of the party men, who accused them of taking important decisions unilaterally without consulting other party office-bearers. Some members of the advisory committee opted to stay out of the meeting in protest against what they called autocratic style of Chaudhrys in running party affairs. A group within the party alleged that Chaudhrys selected important offices in the Govt for themselves while negotiating terms and condition of a possible deal with PPP following imposition of the Governor Rule in Punjab.
Ch Pervaiz Elahi said the Punjab government failed to preempt the suicidal attack in Chakwal despite a prior warning by intelligence agencies. He said the Punjab CM was busy in horse-trading and hardly found any time for improving law and order. He said the government was not making sincere efforts to save people from terrorist attacks.
Referring to the forward bloc, which now claims majority in Punjab assembly, he said the PML-Q has devised strategy to take all deserters to task. Without giving any hint about the strategy, he said that everyone should be rest assured that no turncoat would be spared.
“They (forward bloc MPAs) have taken oath under the Constitution and one of the qualifications under 62-F of the Constitution is that a candidate has to be honest and fulfill his promises. All the deserters have not only violated the party discipline, but also the Constitution,” Ch Pervaiz Elahi said. He said the champions of democracy were hijacking mandate of other parties on gunpoint. He said the PML-Q would introduce a bill to make defection law more effective. He said Saba Sadiq defection case, being heard by the Lahore High Court (LHC), would be pursued till its logical end. He hoped that the PML-Q would get justice, as according to him, it was the right of all citizens and not only that of Sharif brothers.