Lahore: Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), who is credited with writing the letter that allegedly changed the outcome of the election for Punjab’s chief minister, explained publicly why he could not support Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, a candidate backed by the PTI. He claimed that he was unable to back “anyone who criticised state institutions.”
Elahi “was, is, and would be” Shujaat’s candidacy for the position of chief minister, he said, but he could not permit Elahi to become “the nominee of PTI.”
In a string of tweets sent from Chaudhry Shujaat’s official Twitter account, Mr. Shujaat explained why he disagreed with the PTI’s support for Elahi.The account does definitely belong to the PML-Q leader and is run by his son, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, according to Parvez Elahi’s son Moonis.
Chaudhry Shujaat stated in his tweets: “I cannot back somebody criticising state institutions because he [Shujaat] has been friendly with the institutions for the past three decades. Pakistan’s stability is assured by the state institutions.
Moonis Elahi, on the other hand, asserted that Chaudhry Shujaat was under “immense pressure” when he formally declined to back Parvez Elahi as an Imran Khan contender.
After his bail hearing on Saturday, when reporters questioned Moonis about what kind of pressure Chaudhry Shujaat was under, Moonis responded that they should ask Chaudhry Shujaat.
