Asif Zardari to meet Chaudhry Shujaat, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi: sources

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) President Asif Zardari has arrived in Lahore for a three-day visit where he would be meeting the top leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the schedule of the former president, the PPP leader would visit PML-Q- chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to inquire about his health besides also meeting his younger brother and Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Asif Zardari will also be meeting leaders from other parties during his three-day visit, they said adding that he would also meet the party’s leaders in Punjab.

The PPP leadership has approached the PML-Q leadership previously to bring the party out of the alliance in the incumbent government led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in Centre and Punjab.

However, the efforts have not yet succeeded.

In March this year, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid refused to vote for the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidates for Senate chairman and deputy chairman elections after Bilawal Bhutto held a meeting with them to get their support.

During the meeting, the Chaudhry brothers refused to vote for the PDM candidate in the upcoming Senate chairman poll. “PML-Q is an ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and will vote government-backed candidate Sadiq Sanjrani for Senate chairman slot,” Chaudhry brothers told Bilawal.

The PPP chairman met with Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujat Hussain and inquired about the health of the ailing PML-Q chief.