Zardari makes sure Shujaat doesn't have 'change of heart'.

LAHORE -- In an apparent bid to make sure Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and his associates do not change their minds and rejoin cousin Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari once again reached out to Shujaat to ensure the PML-Q chief remained a part of the coalition government.

Mr Zardari arrived here from Islamabad and went to the residence of Chaudhry Shujaat, and held an hour-long meeting with him. Shujaat's sons, Salik and Shafay, and party leader Tariq Bashir Cheema were also present on the occasion.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the PPP said: 'The (nine-party) coalition government in the Centre is standing with the PML-Q (Shujaat group) and the latter fully supports the former.'

Mr Zardari said both the MNAs of the PML-Q - Salik Hussain and Tariq Bashir Cheema - were now part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's cabinet.

Parvez Elahi 'trying to persuade' PML-Q chief, sons to exit alliance with coalition govt

'PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat is an asset to our politics, and his party is with us and will continue to stay in the coalition,' Zardari maintained.

This was the second meeting between the duo within a week. PM Shehbaz and JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman had also called on Shujaat last week to 'reaffirm his support' for the government.

A party insider told Dawn that although the PML-Q chief had chosen to shake hands with the Sharifs against the advice of his cousin and nephew, Parvez and Moonis Elahi, the latter still believed Shujaat and group could ditch the coalition 'at the behest of someone' at a critical juncture owing to the huge trust deficit with the PML-N.

Despite the differences between them, there were reports that Shujaat had great regard for Punjab Assembly Speaker Parvez Elahi and former federal minister Moonis, and wanted them to evolve a consensus within the family. However, the Elahi camp is not budging from its support to former premier Imran Khan.

'Mr Elahi is trying to persuade Chaudhry Shujaat and his sons to exit the coalition government and support the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman,' the...