HYDERABAD, May 26: Three more office-bearers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) party on Saturday resigned from the basic membership of the party in the wake of resignations by senior party leaders of the district S. M. Ilyas and Mehboob Junejo over interference of chief minister’s political secretary into party affairs.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club Mohammad Saleem Mughal who claimed to be organiser of the party of City Taluka Hyderabad, Office Secretary Rahim Shah and Mohammad Ismail complained that the party leaders showed no respect towards sincere workers. Over two dozen activists of ruling party staged a demonstration outside the press club in protest against the party leadership and in support of the resigning leaders.

Supporters of party leadership said on Saturday that the leaders of dissident group S. M. Ilyas and Mehboob Junejo had been suspended two months ago by the district president Mir Sher Mohammad Talpur and general secretary Qari Mushtaq Farooqui.

They told a news conference at the press club that the protesting workers were involved in extortion of money and the party’s district office had received complaints against them.—Bureau