Ruling coalition formulates plan B to send CM Elahi packing

LAHORE (National Times) – The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and its allies have finalised a plan B to send Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi packing.

The ruling alliance, claiming to thwart PTI Chairman Imran Khan s strategy of dissolving the Punjab and KP assemblies on December 23, was now planning to approach specific members of the Punjab Assembly to win their support against Mr Elahi.

Sources privy to the development said the strategy was discussed in detail during a recent meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. The PDM was of the view that Punjab lawmakers, who were reportedly at odds with the provincial government, were the key to Mr Elahi’s defeat in a vote of confidence.

Under the same plan, the leader of the opposition, Hamza Shahbaz, is likely to return on January 5.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry announced that they had the required numbers for the vote of confidence. He told the media in Zaman Park that assemblies would dissolve at any cost because they had 187 members for a confidence vote—the required number is 186.