LAHORE, March 21: Only five out of over 20 members of the district council, absenting themselves from the last three consecutive sessions, responded to show-cause notices issued by the city district government naib nazim, despite being granted an extended grace period for explaining their position.

Mr Idrees Hanif is yet indecisive on initiating any action against the absentee members, as required under the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001.

At least 21 members were issued notices on behalf of naib nazim Idrees Hanif on March 14, giving them three days to explain their position or face action under Section 152(p) of the PLGO, 2001.

The deadline ended on March 17, but not a single explanation was submitted till then with the council branch of the CDGL by the absent nazims.

The authorities then announced another grace period of four days to submit the explanations. The extended cut-off date also ended on Wednesday (March 21) and only five members submitted the replies.

Official sources said, without giving the names of the replying members, that almost all of them gave just lame excuses for their absence. “We have not been informed,” they claim.

The other missing members, it is learnt, are looking out for some sifarish to avoid any legal action.

The ordinance says that a member who absents himself without reasonable cause from three consecutive meetings of the council does not qualify to remain its member provided that the absence was not necessitated by a national emergency or force majeure.