ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Mus­lim League-Nawaz member of the National Assembly from Jhang Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, who had last week announced she would quit the assembly seat on the Khatm-i-Nubuwat issue, has formally submitted her resignation to the NA secretariat.

When contacted, an official of the NA secretariat confirmed on Thursday that the speaker’s office had received Ms Bharwana’s resignation and the speaker would soon take the necessary action on it in accordance with the laws and rules of the house.

Under the rules, the speaker is required to summon the MNA for verification of the resignation to ensure that it has not been submitted under duress.

Directly elected on a general seat from Jhang, Ms Bharwana had announced her resignation last Sunday during a Khatm-i-Nubuwat conference in Faisalabad organised by Pir Hameeduddin Sialvi, who has been demanding the resignation of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah over his controversial remarks.

Sources said Ms Bharwana had in her resignation stated that she was resigning from the assembly as a mark of protest over the “blasphemous attitude” of a provincial minister.

The MNA was among five lawmakers from Punjab — two MNAs and three MPAs — who announced their resignations on Sunday in protest against Mr Sanaullah’s remarks and due to the government inaction against him.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2017