OKARA, July 1: PPP Punjab President Qasim Zia on Monday night suspended party’s district president Maj Rao Khalil Akhtar (retired) from his office during a function arranged to celebrate the 50th birthday of the party chairperson.

He announced this when some activists of the party insisted to clarify Mr Akhtar’s status after his cousin Rao Sikandar Iqbal, who was elected MNA, joined the PPP (Patriots).

Information gathered by this correspondent on Tuesday revealed that Qasim Zia, who is also the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, was returning to Lahore from Sahiwal on Monday night when some local party activists invited him to attend the birthday celebrations of Benazir Bhutto.

At the function, former PSF district president Rao Muhammad Ashraf asked Mr Zia to explain why Rao Akhtar was being ignored by the provincial party activists. Upon this, Mr Zia said: “I suspend Mr Akhtar from his office for receiving complaints against him.”

The party leader’s decision triggered a verbal clash between the party activists. They were divided into two groups and chanted slogans against each other.

When contacted, the sacked leader said only the party chairperson had the authority to terminate or suspend the district president.