The PML-N on Friday issued a show cause notice to Uzma Qadri — the wife of estranged PML-N leader Syed Zaeem Qadri — to tender her resignation from a Punjab Assembly reserved seat for skipping elections for chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker as well as several party meetings.

The party, in the notice addressed to the newly nominated MPA, reminded her that it had "honoured you by placing your name in the list of reserved seats for women".

"The PML-N conducted several intra-party meetings prior to the formal oath-taking ceremony which you failed to attend without any leave of absence, just cause or valid reason," the PML-N, against whom Uzma's husband had rebelled before the July 25 polls, stated.

"At the first sitting of the Punjab Assembly after the elections, the PML-N made it mandatory for all elected members to ensure [their] presence ... which you willfully disobeyed."

The party told Uzma that she stood "in sheer violation of party discipline" by failing to cast votes during the elections for speaker and deputy speaker.

It further accused the lawmaker of "willfully and deliberately" skipping the Punjab CM's polls, and cited media reports to claim that she might be leaving the PML-N to join an opposing political party.

The PML-N gave Uzma, five days to either resign from her seat or respond to the charges levelled against her — failure to do either of which would result in the party pursuing all legal means to "ensure her disqualification on grounds of defection".

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