Islamabad: Announcing its verdict reserved earlier on Aug 18, 2022, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday declared Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q). The ECP declared the dismissal of Chaudhry Shujaat by the PML-Q’s Central Working Committee (CWC), being contradictory to the party’s constitution. The ECP also declared the election schedule issued by the PML-Q as null and void.
Former Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat had filed a petition in the ECP, when in July 2022, the PML-Q’s CWC decided to release him from the duties of party President, and citing health concerns. The ECP had retained Chaudhry Shujaat as the PML-Q President till final decision on his petition. However, the General Council meeting of the PML-Q splinter group on January 26, this year removed Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as the party President and appointed Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain as new President of the PML-Q.
The decision to remove Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from the party command was taken at a CWC meeting headed by Senator Kamil Ali Agha. “It has become necessary to isolate Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to save the party from destruction,” Kamil Ali Agha had said while talking to the media persons after the CWC meeting. Former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, who is the cousin of Chaudhry Shujaat, had orchestrated the removal of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as party President.