LAHORE: The five PML-N MNAs from south Punjab who recently deserted their party and formed the South Punjab Province Front (SPPF) on Friday did not appear before National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to verify their resignations.

Interestingly, the two MPAs -- Sardar Nasrullah Dareshak and Makhdoom Hashim Bakht -- have not yet submitted their resignations to the Punjab Assembly Secretariat despite their announcement.

According to the Front president, Khusro Bakhtiar from Rahim Yar Khan, the MNAs who tendered their resignations along with himself are Tahir Bashir Cheema (Bahawalnagar), Tahir Iqbal Chaudhry (Vehari), Basit Bokhari (Muzaffargarh) and Rana Qasim Noon (Multan).

“The NA Speaker called us on Friday to appear before him with regard to our resignations but we requested him to give us audience next week,” Mr Bakhtiar told Dawn.

When asked as why they (five MNAs) skipped appearance before the speaker, he said: “There was no special reason as they will see him next week.” He said the lawmakers wanted that their resignations should be accepted with effect from April 9, the day they announced parting ways with the PML-N.

Under the law it is mandatory for the lawmakers to verify their resignations before the speaker or secretary of the National Assembly during their physical appearance.

A source said the five lawmakers could not appear before the NA speaker as there was no consensus among them in this respect. “A couple of members are of the view that they should delay appearance before Mr Sadiq to verify their resignations till the assembly completes its tenure till May 31 so that they could continue to enjoy salaries and other perks,” he said.

A Punjab Assembly official confirmed to Dawn that it had not received resignations of Mr Dareshak and Mr Bakht so far. Earlier, these MPAs claimed that they had submitted resignations to the Punjab Assembly Secretariat. This week both MPAs had submitted a resolution demanding that the Punjab government should ask the Centre to take practical measures for creation of the south province.

On April 9 the PML-N deserters announced forming a separate platform to struggle for the creation of a separate province and set the same agenda for their upcoming election campaign.

Former caretaker PM Balakh Sher Mazari is leading the group. Defections from south Punjab were on the cards since over 20 MNAs mostly from south had not voted for the amendment aimed at making Nawaz Sharif PML-N chief after his disqualification in the Panama Papers case. Mr Bakhtiar on Friday disclosed that another group of PML-N lawmakers and leaders from the south districts would announce joining the front next week in its struggle for the new province.

The front members have indicated that they will contest general elections either independently or in alliance with other political parties.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2018