ISLAMABAD: Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, the President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who remains incarcerated in Adiala jail, claimed that his cousin and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, had given him the green light to join the PTI.
Speaking at a local court in Islamabad, the former Punjab chief minister stated that Chaudhry Shujaat personally endorsed his decision to join the Imran Khan-led party.
Elahi further mentioned that the PTI chief had assured him of appointing him as the party president in recognition of his sacrifices during the party’s challenging times.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is currently facing multiple legal cases, including allegations of corruption and involvement in an attack on the judicial complex. He has spent several months behind bars. Recently, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) took him into custody shortly following his release by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police on the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order.
Elahi’s statement was in response to a question about why he had not rejoined the PML-Q.
“Shujaat Hussain did not join PTI due to [his son] Salik Hussain because he was very fond of becoming a minister,” Elahi said.
However, in reaction to the PTI leader’s statement, Salik said that the former was venting out anger on him instead of his son Moonis Elahi.
“Entire Pakistan and PTI knows who was fond of becoming a minister,” he said, adding that Shujaat requested the PTI chief to make Moonis a minister on Elahi’s insistence.
On February 21, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi announced his decision to join PTI, along with 10 former members of his party. This move came after Shujaat Hussain removed him from the position of PML-Q’s Punjab president and revoked his basic membership.
