New crisis, if 58(2)b repealed: Shujaat
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Rifts in the ranks of Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) deepened and remained no secret after Mushahaid Hussain Syed’s statement that he would support the move to repeal the controversial 58(2) B Article from the constitution.
PML (Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, while talking to media on Thursday, insisted that removal of Article 58-2 (B) from the constitution would cause crisis in the country while former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, in his Lahore press conference, said that his party will resist any effort in the Parliament to remove the said Article.
It was indeed quite intriguing that Ch Shujaat Hussain was accompanied by former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and not Mushahid Hussain Syed. Absence of Mushahid Hussain from the scene on Thursday speaks volume of differences between the top leaders of the party. Differences in the PML (Q) ranks attributed to his (Mushahid) statement regarding Article 58(2) B. Previously Mushahid, who is General Secretary of the Q-league, used to be seated next to the party president in almost all the PML (Q) meetings and press conferences. Mushahid was taken to task and was severely criticized for his statement by the party leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Thursday. They said that said that statement of Mushahid Hussain about article 58(2) B is not reflective of party’s stance and added that his (Mushahid) statement would cause damage to the party. PML-Q had elected President Pervez Musharraf and the party would stand by the President, they added.
Mushahid’s statement took the people by surprise that how come a person who holds one of the party’s top portfolios issued such a statement that is quite contrary to the PML (Q) stance. It is worth to mention here that Mushahid Hussain had pulled back support and abandoned Nawaz Sharif when he was overthrown by Pervez Musharraf back in 1999.
President of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday vowed that the party will resist any effort in the Parliament to remove clause 58(2) B of the constitution for weakening the role of President and added that repealing the said Article would cause crisis in the country.
Talking to a private TV channel, Shujaat Hussain said that removal of Article 58-2 (B) from constitution would cause crisis in the country. He said: “If new government attempts to eliminate the article 58-2 (B), it will cause crisis in the country”.
He made it clear that his party would play a positive role while sitting in opposition and would avoid stage walkouts and creating rumpus in the parliament. He said that senators and parliament members should play constructive role in the parliament. PML-Q chief said that talks are underway with allies and PML would sit collectively on opposition benches.
PML (Q) Punjab President and former chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that statement of Mushahid Hussain Sayed about Article 58(2) B is not reflective of party’s stance and vowed to resist any effort to remove the Article from the constitution.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he said that Pervez Musharraf has been elected as President for a period of five years and there is no question of his impeachment by the Parliament. He said that the President has fulfilled all his promises regarding the promotion of democracy in the country and PML (Q) will continue to support him.
Talk of impeachment of President is not in line with good democratic traditions, he said. He said that credit for completion of five years tenure by assemblies and ensuring holding of elections in free, fair and transparent manner goes to the President Musharraf. He said while after completion of elections process for transfer of power is in progress, Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are raising some irrelevant issues which are neither in the interest of people nor country.