LAHORE: At a time when political rivals expect cracks in the ruling PML-N, Punjab Revenue Minister Mian Atta Muhammad Maneka has resigned from his office.

“I’ve tendered my resignation on Friday (July 14) and awaiting for its approval since then,” he told a group of reporters here on Tuesday.

Asked why he was doing so, Maneka said he faced “pressure from friends and electorate” on holding a “useless” portfolio.

About the timing of his move, he said he had been thinking of leaving the cabinet for the last six months but withheld the decision in the hope of improvement in the (political) circumstances.

He said he was not thinking of quitting the PML-N and joining any other party.

Talking of the indifference of the chief minister towards his cabinet colleagues, Maneka said he could meet Shahbaz Sharif only twice during his four-year stay in the cabinet.

He replied in negative when asked if the chief minister had contacted him after he tendered resignation. “Perhaps he is busy in Islamabad. The only contact made so far was by the principal secretary to the chief minister four days ago.”

The resignation letter addressed to the chief minister, a copy of which is available with Dawn, neither carries signatures of Mr Maneka nor the date though Mr Maneka claims that he has submitted the letter completing all formalities.

He claimed that the CM Secretariat was pressuring him to withdraw the resignation but his decision was final.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2017