LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has certainly not achieved the target of exerting enough pressure on Nawaz Sharif to resign as prime minister but the level of support it has attained through public meetings in various Punjab towns has benefited the party in an ‘expected’ way -- checking rebellion among its lawmakers on the issue of resigning from their assembly seats.

A senior PTI leader admitted while talking to Dawn that the party had been facing resistance, or at least reluctance, of some MPAs on the resignation issue and there was a risk of “change of heart” on the part of some of them during the verification process before the Punjab Assembly speaker.

Know more: Acceptance of PTI resignations may lead to mid-term polls: leaders

“Although the (PTI) Punjab legislators had tendered their written resignations en masse, it is feared that some could have told the (Punjab Assembly) speaker that they acted under coercion so their resignations may not be accepted.”

To check the possible ‘betrayal’ the leadership decided that in no case would any elected member appear before the speaker in his/her individual capacity for the verification process, he added.

PTI parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rashid has repeatedly denied any disagreement among the party MPAs on the resignation issue. But the senior leader pointed out that Begum Nighat Intasar Bhatti, who had won in the only by-election (PP-107, Hafizabad) grabbed by the PTI in Punjab, has not yet tendered her resignation. Mr Rashid has been claiming that Mrs Bhatti was abroad and would follow the party line as soon as she returns home.

The recent public meetings the party organised in various towns and addressed by chairman Imran Khan attracted a large number of people which proved a godsend.

“Sensing the public mood in Punjab towns, many MPAs angry at the policy being dictated by unelected leaders are having second thoughts on whether to rebel against the resignation decision or not, fearing they may lose the chance of getting PTI ticket again if somehow midterm polls are held in the country, whereas the ruling PML-N is also not extending them any assurance in this regard,” the official said.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2014