Pakistan Muslim League (Q)

2025-10-25T16:46:33Z

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{{short description|Pakistani political party}}{{Needs more references|date=June 2025}}{{About|3=Muslim League (disambiguation)}}
{{use Pakistani English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
| abbreviation = PML (Q)
| native_name = {{Nastaliq|پاکستان مسلم لیگ(ق)}}
| logo = PML-Q Logo.png
| colorcode = Lime
| leader = [[Shujaat Hussain]]
| secretary_general = Muhammad Tariq Hassan
| founders = [[Mian Muhammad Azhar]] [[Shujaat Hussain]]
| slogan = ''Live, let live... Giving hope to the hopeless''
| founded = {{start date and age|2002|07|20}}
| split = [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)|PMLN]]
| successor = [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf|PTI]] 
[[Pakistan People's Party|PPP]] [[Pakistan Peoples Muslim League|PPML]] [[Awami Muslim League (Pakistan)|AMLP]] [[All Pakistan Muslim League|APML]]
| youth_wing = PML(Q) Youth Wing<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/692545-pml-q-to-distribute-face-masks|title=PML-Q to distribute face masks|date=27 July 2020|access-date=2 March 2022|work=The News International (newspaper)}}</ref>
| wing1_title = Minorities wing
| wing1 = PML(Q) Minorities Wing
| colors = {{color sample|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (Q)}}}} Lime
| ideology = {{nowrap|[[Conservatism]] ([[Conservatism in Pakistan|Pakistani]])<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[CNN]]|title=Pakistan's political parties explained|date=18 February 2008|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/15/pakistan.parties/index.html}}</ref>}} [[Moderate conservatism]]<ref>https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dawn.com%2Fnews%2F1122395</ref> [[Pakistani nationalism]]<ref>https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dawn.com%2Fnews%2F1122395</ref> [[Economic liberalism]]<ref>https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dawn.com%2Fnews%2F1122395</ref> [[Third Way]]<ref>https://strafasia.com/musharrafs-trial-travesty-of-justice/</ref> [[Social liberalism]]<ref>https://www.dw.com/en/pervez-musharraf-a-soldier-on-many-fronts/a-64614760</ref>
| position = {{nobr|[[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]|title=Explainer: Pakistan's main political parties|date=6 May 2013|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2013/5/6/explainer-pakistans-main-political-parties}}</ref>}}
| national = [[Pakistan Democratic Movement|PDM]]
| seats1_title = [[Senate of Pakistan|Senate]]
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|{{PakSen|PMLQ}}|96|hex={{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (Q)}}|width=80%}}
| seats2_title = [[National Assembly of Pakistan|{{nobr|National Assembly }}]]
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|5|336|hex={{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (Q)}}|width=80%}}
| seats3_title = [[Provincial Assembly of Punjab|Punjab Assembly]]
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|10|371|hex={{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (Q)}}|width=80%}}
| flag = Flag of the Pakistan Muslim League.svg
| symbol = '''[[Tractor]]'''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Iftikhar A. |date=2024-01-10 |title=ECP sends poll symbols of 145 parties to returning officers |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1804600 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref> [[File:CH-1979-Zusatztafel-Traktor.svg|centre|100px]]
| country = Pakistan
| website = {{official website|http://pmlq.com.pk/}}
}}
The '''Pakistan Muslim League (Q)'''{{efn|{{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ق)}}}}; ''Pākistān Muslim Līg (Qāf)'', [[Acronym and initialism|Acronyms]]: '''PML(Q), PML-Q, PMLQ, "Q League"''' (officially registered as the Pakistan Muslim League)<ref>[https://ecp.gov.pk/storage/files/2/PF%20wing/(166%20)%20Enlisted%20Political%20Parties%20with%20ECP%201-2-2024.pdf List of enlisted political parties - Election Commission of Pakistan]</ref>}} is a [[List of political parties in Pakistan|Pakistani political party]] with a [[centre-right politics|centre-right]] political position and a [[Moderate conservatism|moderate conservative]] ideology. As of 2025, it has a representation of five seats in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]] and one in the [[Senate of Pakistan|Senate]]. It previously served as an ally of former prime minister [[Raja Pervez Ashraf]]'s [[Cabinet of Pakistan|government]], and led a joint election campaign in 2013 alongside the [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] (PPP) and the [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]] (PTI) in [[Punjab Province (Pakistan)|Punjab]] and [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] against its rival [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)]], a fiscally conservative and centre-right force.

Its leadership and members were once part of the [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)|Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)]] presided by [[List of Prime Ministers of Pakistan|former]] prime minister [[Nawaz Sharif]]. After the [[1997 Pakistani general election|1997 general elections]], political differences arose that ultimately led to the creation of a faction inside the party. The dissidents, led by [[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain|Shujaat Hussain]], called for strong and vocal support for the [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état|1999 military coup d'état]] staged and led by then-[[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]] and [[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman]] of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee]] General [[Pervez Musharraf]]. In 2002, dissident leaders launched the party, focused on [[President of Pakistan|President]] [[Pervez Musharraf]]'s government. It later became an integral part of Musharraf's government and appointed their own prime minister, [[Shaukat Aziz]].

Dissident leader [[Shujaat Hussain]] was named party president, and the party's focus turned to drawing in PML-N voters. Further advantage was taken by Musharraf, who granted opportunities to the party with a goal of exclusive support of the government and to diminish the public support of Sharif.

The emergence of PML-N as the largest opposition party after the [[2008 Pakistani general election|2008 elections]] led to a significant collapse of PML-Q's influence.<ref name="Pakistan Today, 25 March 2011">{{cite news|last=Bukhari|first=Irfan|title=PML-Q: Musharraf's brainchild fractured, failing|url=http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/03/25/news/national/pml-q-musharrafs-brainchild-fractured-failing/|access-date=18 March 2012|newspaper=Pakistan Today|date=25 March 2011}}</ref> The party suffered many setbacks thereafter when its membership began to disintegrate after forming a separate bloc with close association with the PML-N, including the [[Pakistan Muslim League (Like-Minded)|Like-Minded]] and [[Awami Muslim League (Pakistan)|Avami League blocs]] and second, the [[All Pakistan Muslim League|former president's bloc]].<ref name="Pakistan Today, 25 March 2011" /> Senior members joined PML-N, while the junior leadership defected to the [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]] (PTI).<ref name="Pakistan Today, 25 March 2011" />

In September 2010, PML-Q joined the similar ideological faction, [[Pakistan Muslim League (F)|PML-F]], forming the Pakistan Muslim League (Pir Pagara), but this was short-lived when in May 2011 the party joined the [[Yousaf Raza Gillani]] led-[[Cabinet of Pakistan|government]] to fulfill the gap left by its rival [[Pakistan Muslim League N|PML-N]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/06-pml-q-announces-merger-with-pml-f-rs-02 |work=Dawn|location=Pakistan |title=PML-Q announces merger with PML-F |date=18 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918173103/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/06-pml-q-announces-merger-with-pml-f-rs-02 |archive-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/51701/pml-q-pml-f-unite-to-form-all-pakistan-muslim-league/|work=The Express Tribune|title=Chaudhrys in new League with Pir Pagara|date=19 September 2010}}</ref> However, the party announced its resignation from the [[Parliament of Pakistan|Parliament]], citing the failure of the Pakistan Peoples Party to resolve the energy crisis as the reason, which had direct impact on the federal government. The situation become better by giving relief in fuel prices on 15 June 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://paktribune.com/news/New-life-for-govt;-MQM-%5E-PML-Q-announce-return-to-coalition-244119.html|title=New life for govt; MQM & PML-Q announce return to coalition|work=PakTribune|date=6 October 2011|archive-date=2 December 2017|access-date=13 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202153039/http://paktribune.com/news/New-life-for-govt%3B-MQM-%5E-PML-Q-announce-return-to-coalition-244119.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==
The founder of PML (Q) is [[Mian Muhammad Azhar]]. It attracted influential members such as the Chaudhary's of the Gujrat, [[Pervaiz Elahi]], and [[Chaudhary]] [[Shujaat Hussain]]. Almost 75% of its elected members are former "big men" of the [[Zia ul Haq]] and [[Nawaz Sharif]] governments. [[PML-N]] factions broke away in 2001 under NAB's pressure to form PML (Q). They were staunch Musharraf supporters and consider him their mentor. Although, he was sometimes mistakenly cited as a member, he was never part of the party.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

===Split from PML-N===
PML (Q) started as a small group of half a dozen like-minded people in the Nawaz Sharif-led faction of PML-N, including [[Mian Muhammad Azhar|Azhar]], [[Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri|Khurshid Kasuri]], [[Abida Hussain|Syeda Abida Hussain]] and her husband [[Syed Fakhar Imam]]. Azhar remained party president initially before he joined [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]]. Musharraf asked Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi to "galvanise and reinvent the Muslim League". Several well known leaders later joined the PML (Q) while Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was president. PML(Q) launched on 20 August 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-04-05 |title=Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid |url=https://www.dawn.com/2013/04/05/pakistan-muslim-league-quaid-pml-q/ |access-date=2023-09-12 |work=Dawn|location=Pakistan |language=en}}</ref>

==Ideology and vision==
===Ideology===
PML(Q) is usually associated with [[Conservatism in Pakistan|conservatism]] and [[Pakistani nationalism]] and its stated priorities continue to include transforming Pakistan into a welfare state, promoting [[Islamization in Pakistan|Islamizaton]] within minority rights and [[egalitarianism|egalitarian]] values, establishing a [[Conservatism in Pakistan|conservative]] [[democracy]], maintaining a strong relationship between civilians and [[Pakistan Armed Forces|military]] [[The Establishment (Pakistan)|establishment]].<ref name="auto">{{cite book|editor=Gholam Mujtaba |title=The Political Ecology of Pakistan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LWF0DwAAQBAJ&q=centrist+PML-Q&pg=PA85 |quote= The Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid e Azam Group), also known as PML (Q) is a centrist political party. |date=2018 |page=85 |publisher=FriesenPress|isbn=9781525534621 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUE (QUAID-I-AZAM) PML(Q) |url=https://pakvoter.org/pakistan-muslim-league-quaid-i-azam-pmlq/ |access-date=26 January 2003}}</ref>

==2002 general elections==
During the 20 October [[2002 Pakistani general election|2002 legislative elections]], the party won 25.7% votes and 126 out of 342 members.{{Cn|date=June 2025}}

==United PML==
{{Further information|Pakistan Muslim League#Third phase (1977–1985)}}
In May 2004, various PML factions and other political parties merged with PML-Q to form a united [[Pakistan Muslim League]] (PML), thus leaving out only the [[Nawaz Sharif|Nawaz Sharf]]-led [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)|faction]]. They included former President [[Farooq Leghari]]'s [[Millat Party]], Jahan Zaib Awan, [[National Peoples Party (Pakistan)|National Peoples Party]], [[Arbab Ghulam Rahim]]'s [[Sindh Democratic Alliance]], [[Hamid Nasir Chattha]]'s [[Pakistan Muslim League (J)|PML (Junejo)]], [[Pir Pagara]]'s [[Pakistan Muslim League (F)|PML (Functional)]], [[Manzoor Wattoo]]'s [[Pakistan Muslim League (Jinnah)|PML (Jinnah)]], and [[Ijaz-ul-Haq]]'s [[Pakistan Muslim League (Z)|PML (Zia)]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Ashraf|last=Mumtaz|url=http://www.dawn.com/2004/05/20/nat1.htm|title=Parties to inform EC about merger with PML|work=Dawn|location=Pakistan|date=20 May 2004}}</ref> Later on, the [[Pir of Pagaro VII|Pir Pagara]] led faction called the PML-Functional again parted ways with the united PML, which reduced the number of parties called Pakistan Muslim League to three: PML-Q, PML-N and PML-F.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 July 2004 |title=Pagaro parts ways with PML |newspaper=Daily Times |url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_29-7-2004_pg1_6 |url-status=dead |access-date=25 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041227145310/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_29-7-2004_pg1_6 |archive-date=27 December 2004}}</ref>

==2008 general elections==
The Pakistan Muslim League (Q) contested the [[2008 Pakistani general election|February 2008 legislative election]] with other allied parties including [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London|Muttahida Qaumi Movement]], Pakistan Muslim League (F), and National Peoples Party.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/87046-mqm-pml-q-pml-f-npp-finalise-friendly-election-adjustments|title=MQM, PML-Q, PML-F, NPP finalise 'friendly election adjustments'|work=The News International|date=26 December 2007|access-date=4 August 2017|archive-date=8 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608100948/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/87046-mqm-pml-q-pml-f-npp-finalise-friendly-election-adjustments|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was believed that the party wanted former [[Chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab Chief Minister]] [[Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi]] to become prime minister. The PML (Q) lost major parliamentarians in the 2008 election, gaining only 49 elected seats, defeated by the [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] (PPP) and the PML (N).{{Cn|date=June 2025}}

==2013 general elections==
PML (Q) contested the 2013 election in alliance with PPP. The party won only two seats in national assembly, along with eight seats in Punjab assembly and four seats in Balochistan assembly. In Sindh and KPK assemblies, they were shut out, cadging only 3.11% of popular vote, relegating it from number two to number six in terms of votes.{{Cn|date=June 2025}}

==2018 general elections==
PML (Q) contested the 2018 election. The party won five seats in national assembly, along with ten seats in Punjab assembly, and one seat in KPK assembly.{{Cn|date=June 2025}}

==Electoral history==
===National Assembly elections===
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Result
|-
|[[2002 Pakistani general election|2002]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]||7,500,797|| 25.66% ||{{Composition bar|105|342|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}}105||{{Color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[2008 Pakistani general election|2008]]|| rowspan="2" |[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] || rowspan="2" | 7,962,473 || rowspan="2" | 22.97% || rowspan="2" |{{Composition bar|54|342|hex=lime}}
| rowspan="2" |{{decrease}} 51 ||{{Color|red|Opposition (till 25 June 2012)}}
|-
|{{Color|green|Coalition Partner (from 25 June 2012)}}
|-
|[[2013 Pakistani general election|2013]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| 1,409,905 || 3.11% ||{{Composition bar|2|342|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 52||{{color|red|Opposition}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[2018 Pakistani general election|2018]]|| rowspan="2" |[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| rowspan="2" | 1,017,408 || rowspan="2" | 2.97% || rowspan="2" |{{Composition bar|5|342|hex=lime}}
| rowspan="2" |{{increase}} 3||{{Color|green|Coalition Partner (till 11 April 2022)}}
|-
|{{Color|red|Opposition (from 11 April 2022)}}
|}

* PML(Q) later formed a coalition with ruling PPP in 2012.
* In 2018, PML(Q) formed a coalition with ruling [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/346862-pti-allies-can-form-govt-without-support-of-other-parties|title=PTI, allies can form govt without support of other parties|work=The News|date=27 July 2018|access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref>

===Senate elections===
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Result
|-
|[[2006 Pakistani Senate election|2006]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]||-||-||{{Composition bar|20|100|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}}20||{{Color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
|[[2009 Pakistani Senate election|2009]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] ||-|| - ||{{Composition bar|21|100|hex=lime}}
|{{Increase}} 1 ||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2012 Pakistani Senate election|2012]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| - || - ||{{Composition bar|4|100|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 17||{{color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
|[[2021 Pakistani Senate election|2021]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| - || - ||{{Composition bar|1|100|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}} 1||{{Color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
|}

* No member of PML(Q) was elected as Senator in [[2015 Pakistani Senate election|2015]] and [[2018 Pakistani Senate election|2018]].

===Punjab Assembly elections===
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Result
|-
|[[2002 Punjab provincial election|2002]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]||6,144,813|| 33.33% ||{{Composition bar|129|297|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}}129||{{Color|green|Government}}
|-
|[[2008 Punjab provincial election|2008]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] || 5,837,922 || 28.21% ||{{Composition bar|79|371|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 50||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2013 Punjab provincial election|2013]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| 1,377,130 || 4.94% ||{{Composition bar|8|371|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 71||{{color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2018 Punjab provincial election|2018]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| 392,419 || 1.19% ||{{Composition bar|10|371|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}} 2||{{Color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
|}

===Sindh Assembly Elections===
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Result
|-
|[[2002 Pakistani general election|2002]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]||543,590|| 9% ||{{Composition bar|11|130|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}}11||{{Color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
|[[2008 Pakistani general election|2008]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] || 1,098,754 || 12.91% ||{{Composition bar|9|130|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 2||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2013 Sindh provincial election|2013]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| 1,377,130 || 4.94% ||{{Composition bar|1|130|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 8||{{color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|-
|[[2018 Pakistani general election|2018]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| - || - ||{{Composition bar|0|130|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 1||{{color|red|-}}
|}

===Balochistan Assembly elections===
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Result
|-
|[[2002 Pakistani general election|2002]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]||219,026|| 19.30% ||{{Composition bar|11|51|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}}11||{{Color|green|Government}}
|-
|[[2008 Pakistani general election|2008]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] || 437,719|| 33.05% ||{{Composition bar|16|50|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}} 5||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2013 Pakistani general election|2013]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| 53,297 || 4.15% ||{{Composition bar|5|50|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 11||{{color|red|Opposition*}}
|-
|[[2018 Pakistani general election|2018]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| - || - ||{{Composition bar|0|51|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 5||{{color|red|-}}
|}
* In March 2018, Abdul Quddus Bizenjo of PML(Q) was elected as Chief Minister after a successful no-confidence motion against then-CM Sana Ullah Zehri of PML(N).

===Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly elections===
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Result
|-
|[[2002 Pakistani general election|2002]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]||435,444|| 14.49% ||{{Composition bar|7|124|hex=lime}}
|{{increase}}6||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2008 Pakistani general election|2008]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] || 440,518 || 12.9% ||{{Composition bar|6|124|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 1||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2013 Pakistani general election|2013]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| - || - ||{{Composition bar|0|124|hex=lime}}
|{{decrease}} 5||-
|-
|-
|[[2018 Pakistani general election|2018]]||[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]]|| - || - ||{{Composition bar|1|145|hex=lime}}
|{{Increase}} 1||{{color|blue|Non-aligned}}
|-
|}

=='Like-minded group' break away==
{{main|Pakistan Muslim League (Like-Minded)}}
A rift within party leadership emerged with a faction calling themselves the 'Like-minded' bloc, who opposed the Chaudhry's of [[Gujrat District|Gujrat]] leadership bid.

The new faction announced that [[Hamid Nasir Chattha]] would be the chairman, Salim Saifullah the president, and [[Humayun Akhtar Khan]] the secretary general. Other prominent leaders to join this parallel set-up includes (former foreign ministers) [[Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri]] (appointed as chairman of the steering committee) former information and organising secretary PML-Q Azeem Chaudhary, former member National Assembly [[Asiya Azeem]], [[Gohar Ayub Khan]] and [[Kashmala Tariq]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/12-split+in+pml-q+ranks--bi-09|title=Split in PML-Q ranks over party leadership|date=5 July 2009|work=Dawn|location=Pakistan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709153409/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/12-split%2Bin%2Bpml-q%2Branks--bi-09|archive-date=9 July 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.geo.tv/8-20-2009/47955.htm|title=PML-Q (like-minded) chooses Salim as president|date=20 August 2009|work=GEO.tv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008171305/http://www.geo.tv/8-20-2009/47955.htm|archive-date=8 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In February 2010, the mainstream PML-Q was further affected by the resignation of [[Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq]], and the revival of his [[Pakistan Muslim League (Z)]] party.

==Alliances==
Party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and [[Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi]] consistently supported [[Musharraf]]. They were faithful to the general in even the most adverse circumstances.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ayaz|last=Amir|url=http://www.dawn.com/weekly/ayaz/20030926.htm|title=The problem of spine in Pakistani politics|work=Dawn|location=Pakistan|date=26 September 2003}}</ref>

Shujaat Hussain's father [[Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi]] was initially a supporter of President [[Ayub Khan (Field Marshal)|Ayub Khan]], but when [[Amir Mohammad Khan]] favoured some of his local opponents, he parted ways with Ayub's [[Convention Muslim League]]. He opposed [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] and later joined Zia's government. He was killed allegedly by [[Murtaza Bhutto|Al-Zulfikar organisation]] for his support to General Zia. After Zahoor's death, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain continued to support Zia and his Zia-ul-Haq's. Mr. Syed Kabir Ali Wasti senior vice president and chairman media committee of PMLQ was back bone of PMLQand remained very active in politics to make PMLQ sweep 2002 elections.As Syed Kabir Ali Wasti was formerly president of Pakistan Muslim League Qasim group and was close aide to Malik Qasim of Pakistan Muslim League-Qasim group. He supported former prime minister Benazir Bhutto but later Joined Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam and became Senior Vice President of the party during the government of Gen Pervez Musharraf.

However, he developed differences with the PML-Q and remained inactive in politics for some time and later supported Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. [[Islamization in Pakistan|Islamization policies]]. Once the establishment parted ways with Nawaz Sharif in 1999, Hussain and Zahoor came to the rescue of stability and saw their new party PML (Q) win the general elections of 2002. Both the Chaudhry brothers were accused of financial scandals, including the Cooperative Scandal, sugar scandal and bank loan defaults, but none of them were ever proven or even pursued by the government. Nowadays, the Q-league has been reduced to a minor party as their vote-bank has been devoured by both Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.<ref>{{cite news|first=Adnan|last=Adil|url=https://newslinemagazine.com/magazine/in-his-prime/|title=In His Prime|work=Newsline|date=July 2004}}</ref>

==Party leadership==
As of 2024, [[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] is president of PML-Q. He was elected unopposed until 2026.<ref>{{cite news|date=17 January 2021|title=Ch Shujaat Hussain elected PML-Q president unopposed|work=The News International (newspaper)|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/775581-ch-shujaat-elected-pml-q-president-unopposed|access-date=18 October 2021}}</ref>

Prominent leaders of PMLQ are as below:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name
!Office/Designation
|-
|[[Shujaat Hussain]]
|[[Party chair|President]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Iftikhar A. |date=2023-05-05 |title=ECP declares Shujaat PML-Q president |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1751012 |access-date=2023-09-12 |work=Dawn|location=Pakistan |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[Ayesha Gulalai]]
|President PML [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=PML-Q to contest election independently: Chaudhry Sarwar |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/485404-pml-q-to-contest-election-as-independent-party-chaudhry-muhammad-sarwar |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=geo.tv |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[Tariq Bashir Cheema]]
|[[Secretary General]]
|-
|[[Chaudhry Salik Hussain]]
|Senior Vice-President
|}

==Electoral history==
===National Assembly elections===
{| class="wikitable"
|+[[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]]
!'''Election'''
!Party leader
!'''Votes'''
!'''%'''
!'''Seats'''
!+/–
|-
|[[2002 Pakistani general election|2002]]
|[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain|Shujaat Hussain]]
|7,500,797
|25.7%
|{{Infobox political party/seats|142|342|hex=#7FFF00}}
|{{increase}} 142
|-
|[[2008 Pakistani general election|2008]]
|[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain|Shujaat Hussain]]
|8,007,218
|23.12%
|{{Infobox political party/seats|60|341|hex=#7FFF00}}
|{{decrease}} 78
|-
|[[2013 Pakistani general election|2013]]
|[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain|Shujaat Hussain]]
|1,409,905
|3.11%
|{{Infobox political party/seats|2|342|hex=#7FFF00}}
|{{decrease}} 58
|-
|[[2018 Pakistani general election|2018]]
|[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain|Shujaat Hussain]]
|1,017,408
|2.97%
|{{Infobox political party/seats|5|342|hex=#7FFF00}}
|{{increase}} 3
|-
|[[2024 Pakistani general election|2024]]
|[[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain|Shujaat Hussain]]
|1,317,408
|2.12%
|{{Infobox political party/seats|6|342|hex=#7FFF00}}
|{{increase}} 0
|}

==See also==
* [[List of Islamic political parties]]
* [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)]]
* [[Awami Muslim League (Pakistan)|Awami Muslim League]]
* [[All Pakistan Muslim League]]
* [[Pakistan Muslim League (F)|Pakistan Muslim League (Functional)]]
* [[Pakistan Muslim League (Jinnah)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite news|url=http://www.english.rfi.fr/asia-pacific/20130428-pakistan-muslim-league-q-musharraf-backers-ppp-ally|title=The Pakistan Muslim League-Q - from Musharraf backers to PPP ally|publisher=Radio France Internationale|date=28 April 2013}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://pakistanmuslimleague.pk/}} of Pakistan Muslim League
* {{Official website|http://pmlq.com.pk/}}

{{Pakistan Muslim League (Q)}}
{{Pakistani political parties}}
{{Pakistan topics}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Pakistan Muslim League (Q)| ]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Nationalist parties in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2002]]
[[Category:Islamic political parties in Pakistan]]

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