LAHORE: Following Lahore High Court’s observation, Chairperson Prime Minister Youth Loan Programme Maryam Nawaz, daughter of PM Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday announced that she has decided to resign voluntarily from the post, DawnNews reported.

The LHC on Tuesday had given the federal government an opportunity to replace Maryam with another individual as chairperson of the programme.

Read: LHC asks govt to remove Maryam from loan scheme

“The chairperson has to be changed,” Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah observed during the hearing of a petition filed by Zubair Niazi, a local leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), against the appointment.

The judge, however, said the court was showing grace by giving a chance to the government to change the chairperson in a lawful and transparent manner.

In a statement issued today, Maryam Nawaz said that she will tender her resignation to the prime minister upon his arrival from recent official foreign trips.

“I've served in Prime Minister's Youth Program diligently, and to the best of my ability, however purely as a volunteer and on honorary basis… I believe in the spirit of volunteerism,” she said in the statement.

“I feel that this is an appropriate moment to hand over the reigns of PM's Youth Program to another equally dedicated individual… This program is here to stay and will touch new heights in days, weeks and months ahead; Inshallah.”

“I'm a committed daughter, a committed worker and a committed Pakistani… I intend to continue my voluntary service for Pakistan and its people in the footsteps of my father, the Prime Minister.”

“Nothing ever will deter me from serving my people and the cause of my land, with or without office/designation.”

Later speaking exclusively to DawnNews, she said that the decision was taken without any pressure. She said the youth loan programme would continue despite her resignation.

“If there is a more competent person to do the job, then he should work in my place,” Maryam remarked.

The tweet came as the LHC on Tuesday also expressed wonder over the combination of degrees – M.A. (English Literature) and Ph.D. in Political Science – earned by Maryam Nawaz.

During the hearing, deputy attorney general Amir Rehman presented academic credentials of Maryam, but withdrew them after failing to answer a query whether the Ph.D. degree was actual or honorary. He said the details presented before the court were collected from the internet.

Defending the impugned appointment, the deputy attorney general argued that the office of the chairperson was not a public office but a sort of focal person. He said holding of the chairperson’s post by Maryam Nawaz did not affect the disbursement of funds.