LAHORE, Sept 13: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi criticized on Tuesday former sports minister Naeemullah Shahani and said his resignation had immediately been accepted. At a news conference here, Pervaiz Elahi said the former minister’s group had lost all seats in the local elections in his hometown Bhakkar, but he (Shahani) was still demanding the party support for the district nazim slot. “Everyone in the party must have to follow discipline and the path of justice,” he said.

Answering a question about the dissent in the PML on the issue of nominations for district and tehsil nazim slots, the chief minister said the party could not be strengthened without the spirit of sacrifice among its leaders.

If the old guards wanted more people to join the party, they must have to render some sacrifices, he said, appreciating those who were accepting the party nominations.

Replying to another question about the dissent shown by Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo and defence minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal with regard to the party nomination for Okara district nazim slot, the chief minister said he had nominated Mr Wattoo’s son for Deepalpur tehsil nazim slot and the defence minister’s to Okara tehsil nazim with their consent.

“Now, Mr Wattoo has misled the defence minister. In fact, he (Mr Wattoo) cannot do without making a mischief,” he said.

Replying to a question about the legality of making party nominations for the non-party local elections, the chief minister said as to how people could know about the background of a candidate without the backing by a political party.

It was not illegal as those contesting local elections were first quitting their respective party offices, he said.