LAHORE, Aug 7: The PML-N which has so far been keeping quiet about the diatribe against the Sharifs by Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa’s sons has started responding to their verbal assaults but with caution to preserving ego of senior Khosa.

In a statement issued on behalf of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday, it was stated that former stopgap chief minister Dost Muhammad Khosa was disgruntled since the day his portfolio was changed.

Sana said during the tenure of Dost Muhammad Khosa as local government minister, an advance payment to the tune of approximately Rs2 billion was made on a project meant for provision of drinkable water in the province, which was found not to be transparent.

He said due to the non-transparency the local government secretary and the project director at that time were transferred, while the portfolio of Dost Muhammad was changed.

Sana said: “The ‘media-based’ protest move by Dost Muhammad is contrary to the facts, and is just an expression of his anger.”

The minister advised Dost Muhammad to take a lead from his father, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, and register his protest by remaining within the party discipline.

Zulfiqar Khosa had resigned as senior adviser to the chief minister last week but without making public any grievances against the party leadership.

Two days later the junior Khosa resigned as PML-N member at a press conference levelling allegations against Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and urging party chief Nawaz Sharif to intervene before the situation worsens in Punjab.