When on October 12, 1999 the then chief of army staff Gen Pervez Musharraf staged a coup against the Nawaz government a like-minded group emerged in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Mian Azhar was the main proponent of the group. The group included Syed Fakhar Imam, Syeda Abida Hussain and former federal minister Ejazul Haq. When in the middle of 2000 Mian Nawaz Sharif along with his family was exiled to Saudi Arabia then most of the PML-N leaders formed a party by the name of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam Group) headed by Mian Azhar. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Mushahid Hussain Syed and others joined the new party.
In 2002 the PML-Q emerged as a successful party in the National and provincial assemblies’ polls. After this the PML-Q nominated MNA elected from Balochistan Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali for premiership. After Mir Zafarullah took over as the prime minister Mian Azhar resigned from the party presidentship.
Those who have abandoned the PML-Q or are contesting elections in independent capacity include former federal state ministers Zahid Hamid, Jehangir Khan Tareen, Wasi Zafar, Major (retired) Tahir Iqbal, G.G. Jamal, Malik Amin Aslam, Hina Rabbani Khar, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Rana Nazir Ahmed Khan, Rana Umer Nazir, Faiz Tamman, Majeed Malik, Major (retired) Tanvir Hussain Syed, Malik Allahyar Khan, Riaz Fatyana, Farooq Amjad Mir, Firdaus Ashiq Awan, Saira Tariq, Shahzadi Umerzadi Tiwana, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Dr Shahzad Waseem, Rai Azizullah Khan and dozens of former provincial assembly members.
So far the PML-Q has not been able to finalize candidates on the 342 general seats of the National Assembly and has succeeded to award tickets to just 190 candidates. In the southern and central Punjab the Q-League is in a serious crisis-like situation regarding award of ticket to a suitable candidate. Due to the whirlwind nationwide visits of former premiers Mian Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto the popularity graph of the Q-League is witnessing a downward slide. In the coming few days it is widely speculated that a number of leaders belonging to the Q-League will join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
PML-Q Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain Syed too has on a number of occasions admitted that after the return of Mian Nawaz Sharif the popularity of the PML-Q has declined to a considerable extent.
He maintained that the candidates of the Q-League from Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Multan and Bahawalpur are facing difficulties and they will have to face a tough time. Mushahid Hussain said that during its term in power the PML-Q completed a lot of development projects.
Former federal parliamentary secretary defence Maj (retired) Tanvir Hussain Syed, while talking to weekly Pulse, said this was true that with the homecoming of Nawaz Sharif the popularity ratings of the PML-Q had declined.
In the five years in power the Q-League has promoted state terrorism and the Chaudhry brothers wish to use police force to their end. He was of the view that the PML-Q wants to canvass public votes through force and through use of pressure tactics.
Tanvir Hussain further said the Chaudhrys were undermining the role of the enlightened media that had helped a lot in creating public awareness. He said when he delivered a speech criticising the US in the House his funds were blocked. The return of Nawaz has proved to be the political death of the PML-Q. He alleged that during the operation at the Lal Masjid phosphorous bombs were used and the Q-League was responsible for it. Tanvir Hussain said President Musharraf was an honest person but the Q-League used him for its ill designs. He was of the view that the Q-League has lost mass following and people would not be fooled again.
Former leader of the Q-League Gen (retired) Majeed Malik, while talking to weekly Pulse, said the situation was such that at the moment there were three major political parties in the country which included PML-N, PPP and PML-Q. None of these parties is in a position to form a government on its own. With the homecoming of Nawaz Sharif there is a decline in PML-Q’s popularity and the vote bank of the PML has also divided.
Due to the reason that the leaders of the PML-Q have adopted double standards, many of its members have left the party and that include ticket holders as well. He said he believed Q-League would gain votes but it would not be like the way it did in the previous polls. There are lesser chances of holding of transparent elections. As long as the influence of the district governments is not neutralized there are fewer chances of holding of elections in a transparent and fair manner. The district governments are under immense pressure and they are busy running election campaigns of the Q-League candidates.
The district governments must be suspended and such a decision should have been taken with the announcement of the election schedule.
Now it is almost useless, as the Q-League has already secured a lot of its ends.
The Chaudhrys have guarded their personal interests well. They have given the party tickets to their close relatives in various constituencies.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ticket holder for the National Assembly Akhtar Khan Kanjo has said the Chaudhrys consider the Q-League as their personal property and that was the reason that he had decided to quit the party.
He charged that the Q-League had destroyed all the institutions and had promoted politics of corruption. Kanjo held the Chaudhry brothers responsible for the worsening law and order situation in the country.
In the districts of Bahawalpur, Multan, Lodhran, D.G. Khan, Rahimyar Khan, the PML-N is in a strong position. With the visit of the PML-N chief to these districts the situation can very well improve in favour of the former prime minister.