Former chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Chaudhry Pervez Elahi is accused of making illegal appointments to the Punjab Assembly during his tenure, according to provincial anti-corruption body ACE.—File photo
LAHORE:
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has denied rumors that PTI Chairman Parvez Elahi will join the party and may be appointed as Punjab Governor.
The rumors, which appear to originate from social media, circulated within the party ranks and sparked a quiet debate over a possible impeachment of the Punjab governor.
In this context, senior PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira was asked on Tuesday to confirm whether Elahi was joining the party. He responded that he would accept it if he joined the party, a statement that some interpreted as a tacit acceptance of hearsay.
However, party sources strongly denied these rumors, calling them baseless and baseless.
PPP Central Punjab general secretary Hasan Murtaza wondered why the party would risk losing the political space it got through its governorship in Punjab. He said there was no reason for the PPP to accept Elahi into its ranks and reiterated that the party respects Elahi’s commitment to the PTI, hoping that he would continue his association in line with his political beliefs. He added that the party is satisfied with the governor, who is carrying out his duties diligently, and stressed that the rumors have no basis.
Asked about his earlier comments, which were cited as proof of the rumors, Kaira said they were just light banter. He clarified that he had not had any recent meetings with the party leadership and therefore had no direct knowledge of such a decision. He added that rumors on social media do not deserve a response and no reasonable person would spread such claims without checking the facts.
Another source pointed out that the PPP has not forgotten Elahi’s alleged betrayal during the tenure of the PTI government. He said President Asif Ali Zardari would no longer trust him, given his historic betrayal. Given Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s close ties with President Zardari, the source said, Elahi would not be allowed to join the PPP due to mutual grudges.
