LAHORE, Jan 12: District Naib Nazim Farooq Amjad Mir submitted resignation on Wednesday for contesting the National Assembly by election from NA-127 as the candidate of the ruling PML.

Earlier, he had tendered resignation from the office for contesting the general elections in 2002, but withdrew it on the request of District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood after the ruling party did not award him ticket.

Tendering resignation at an emergent session of the City District Council at the Jinnah Hall, Mr Mir thanked the PML leaders in general and the Chaudhry Brothers in particular for awarding him the party ticket for the by election.

He also thanked the council members for cooperating with him during his three and-a-half year tenure as Lahore's Naib Nazim. Opposition leader Naveed Sadiq paid tributes to Mr Mir for conducting the council sessions in an impartial manner and allowing every member to express his opinion.

Zahid Shah, another opposition councillor, said the entire house would pray for the victory of Mr Mir in the by election. Habibullah Bhatti presented a cheque of Rs200,000 to the outgoing Naib Nazim for his by election expenses.

Barkat Ali, Sajjad Rabbani, Mian Abdul Razzaq, Mian Atiq, Mian Haris, Farida Khanum, Farah Deeba, Razi Sultan, Zeenat Iftikhar, Rashid Chaudhry, George Michael and Naseer Daniel also praised Mr Mir for conducting the district council sessions in an amicable manner.