According to reports, prime minister Nawaz Sharif made a surprise phone call to PMLQ leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and invited him for a meeting. It was first contact between the two leaders in a decade which happened few days before Ramazan started.
Nawaz Sharif’s government is facing a hard time due to Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan who is bringing a million march to Islamabad on 14th of August. Nawaz Sharif’s call to Chaudhry Shujaat is an effort to not let the opposition unite in their protest against his government.
Mr. Sharif has been a staunch opponent of Chaudhry Shujaat and his brother Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi since their alliance with general Pervez Musharraf after his government was toppled in 1999.
Though Chaudhry brothers were interested to get close to Nawaz Sharif and to unify all factions of Muslim League but Sharif declined all their requests. “They supported a dictator, how could I forgive them (Chaudhry Brothers)”, Nawaz Sharif has echoed this question on numerous occasions.
“The change of heart”
The sudden change of heart can not be a sudden emergence of love for Chaudhry brothers. It proves Nawaz Sharif is a politician and he truly believes in political motto that there are no permanent friends and enemies in politics.
Chaudhry Shujaat is the key player in unifying the opposition. PMLQ itself has the potential to bring out thousands of people on the streets. Hence, Nawaz’s phone call to Chaudhry Shujaat and an invitation for an in-person meeting was a bait to fish the Chaudhrys out of the protests.
“Tables have turned”
However, the tables seems to have turned as according to reports Chaudhry has not responded back to Nawaz Sharif which he promised to him he would.
“Chaudhry Shujaat did not respond back to Nawaz Sharif invitation after consulting his colleagues”, said a close aide of PMLQ President.