Ruling party’s candidate for the Punjab CM slot Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan was safe from the no-confidence motion as the PTI has resolved coalition partner MQM-P’s issues, contrary to the opposition’s late-night claims of reaching an agreement.

“They [PTI] have made all arrangements and fulfilled the needs of MQM-P. They have accepted their terms because when I met [PM] Imran Khan today [Tuesday] I asked him to give them what they want as the MQM-P has been with the PTI for more than three years,” he said in an interview with Dunya News show ‘Dunya Kamran Khan kay sath’.

To a question, he said: “The opposition’s no-confidence motion will fail. I believe this.”

On his Punjab CM seat, Pervez said the PPP lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly would support him and if PML-N abstained from the vote it would favour them.

The PML-Q leader also answered queries related to his volte-face on the support for the no-confidence motion and the opposition’s criticism.

“We have good relations with Zardari Sb and hopefully they will continue. However, the point is that the Maryam [Nawaz] camp had opposed our conversations with [Leader of Opposition] Shehbaz Sharif. We had said we would make a decision when you [opposition] will submit the no-confidence motion [against Punjab CM]. But during all this, we received reliable 'information' that whatever the PML-N was offering us, was for three months or a short term…,” Pervez said.

“They [PML-N] have also done the same thing in the past,” he said, adding that the short tenure would make it difficult to get votes. The PML-Q leader added that former president Zardari, wanted the government to complete its tenure, while also confirming that a lot of party workers had been working with the PTI in their constituencies, which tilted them in the ruling party's favour.

Moreover, he claimed that he had spoken to Tareen group members – including Jehangir Tareen and Awn Chaudhry – while claiming that they would support him in the CM election. “Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi spoke to Tareen’s son Ali to galvanise their group’s support,” Pervez added.

On party leader Tariq Bashir Cheema’s decision, he said the former minister would work for him after the no-trust vote.

However, Awn Chaudhry while talking on a Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada kay sath’ said it was premature to say that the party has decided to support Pervez Elahi. But, he confirmed the meeting, adding that the final decision would be taken by Jehangir Tareen. “Within one or two days we will bring it in front of the people.”

PML-Q Senator Kamil Ali Agha, who had also appeared on the show, said the party announced its decision to support the premier in the no-confidence motion after the latter offered the chief minister slot. “PM Imran also said that the MQM-P was onboard.”

“It won’t happen,” he said while answering a query on three votes against the PM, which will be against the party decision. He added that the party takes decisions after Chaudhry Shujaat’s consent.

He further said the PML-Q was trying to persuade MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema not to go against the party line in the vote of no-confidence. Agha expressed hope Cheem would not violate the party line.

“We have more than enough numbers in Punjab for the CM. The Maryam Nawaz group was of the view that why we should give everything to the five members,” he said, adding that the party was aware of the PML-N’s suggestion.

Reacting to this, Rana Sanaullah refuted Pervez’s claims and asked why the PML-Q leader had not raised such an issue before.