FAISALABAD: Five legislators of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — all from Punjab — announced their resignations at a ‘Khatm-i-Nubuwat conference’ here on Sunday.

MNAs Dr Nisar Jutt and Ghulam Bibi Bharwana and MPAs Nizamuddin Sialvi, Maulana Rehmatullah and Mohammad Khan Baloch castigated the government at the gathering held at the Dhobi Ghat ground and said that Pir Hameeduddin Sialvi of Sial Sharif shrine would decide what course they should follow in the days to come.

They announced their resignation while protesting against the government inaction over their demand for the resignation of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah who has drawn the flak for his recent controversial remarks.

Sunni Ittehad Council chairman Hamid Raza said the next such conference would be held in Lahore, insisting that they would not withdraw the demand for Rana Sanaullah’s resignation.

The conference was organised on the call of Pir Sialvi who just a day earlier had claimed that 50 or so parliamentarians would tender their resignation at the gathering.

Pir Sialvi in his speech said that Pakistan came into being in the name of Islam and “I demand that the government enforce Nizam-i-Mustafa in the country”.

Spiritual leader’s supporters insist on demand for resignation of Rana Sanaullah

He said the rulers talked about Islam but none of them had tried to ensure Islamic system in the country. The message of Khatm-i-Nubuwat would be disseminated in every nook and corner of the country, he added.

“I am not here for political motives and would talk about religion only. We believe in Khatm-i-Nubuwat and have assembled here for the sanctity of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him),” he told the mammoth gathering.

Hamid Raza while reiterating the demand for the resignation of Rana Sanaullah claimed: “We have received 15 resignations and will follow the instructions of Pir Sialvi.”

Dr Nisar Jutt said that he was more than happy to tender his resignation at the conference and similar sentiment was expressed by Nizamuddin and Ghulam Bibi Bharwana.

Ashraf Jalali, who heads a faction of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah, lauded the legislators who had tendered their resignations and said they could enhance the scope of protest to all over the country at a short notice.

Among the speakers was Dost Mohammad Khosa, a former chief minister, who claimed that the recent change in the Khatm-i-Nubuwat law for electoral candidates was the handiwork of the party [PML-N] rather than any individual.

“We must seek the resignations of the entire government rather than those of two ministers,” he said, in a clear reference to federal law minister Zahid Hamid and provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah. Zahid Hamid has already resigned.

Ashraf Jalali announced a gathering outside the Punjab Assembly in Lahore on Jan 4 to pray for those who had laid down their lives while protesting in Faizabad.

Meanwhile, Chief Minis­ter Shahbaz Sharif will take up the matter of resignations of five PML-N legislators to Pir Sialvi on Monday (today), says Punjab government spokesman Malik Muhammad Ahmad.

“These legislators have not submitted their resignations to the speakers of National and provincial assemblies. The chief minister will take up this matter on Monday and decide the party policy in this regard,” Mr Ahmad said.

Asked about meeting the demand of Pir Sialvi, Mr Ahmad said: “Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah will not resign as he has already clarified his position on the statement attributed to him about a minority community.”

Another PML-N leader told Dawn that the chief minister might hold talks with Pir Sialvi and the legislators who had handed over their resignations to him. “The PML-N would like to resolve the matter in the backdrop of current challenges it is facing,” he said.

Earlier, Sahibzada Ghulam Nizamuddin Sialvi told Dawn that “non-serious attitude” of Shahbaz Sharif to take up the demand of Pir Sialvi had forced him to sever relations with the party.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2017