Nawaz Sharif plays down defections

ISLAMABAD: Playing down latest defections in his party, Pakistan  Muslim League Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said the eight lawmakers who parted ways with the party had no affiliation with PMLN.

Speaking to reporters at the accountability court, he said the lawmakers had no "PMLN background".

 "Maybe something has been revealed   to them," he said satirically.

The former prime minister  said the PMLN's victory in Lodhran by election was expression of confidence over the record development work undertaken by his party in south Punjab.

He said such comings and goings were normal, but people like these defectors bring  bad name to politics.

Sharif said these lawmakers had noted voted in the  party election  which saw him  being elected as  president of the PMLN. 

Eight lawmakers  including six MNAs and two MPAs parted ways with the ruling party on Monday, announcing to launch a movement to make the southern Punjab a separate province.

Addressing a press conference , MNA Khusro Bakhtiar, one of the deserters said: “We are meeting here to announce Junoobi Punjab Sooba Mahaz (JPSM), to create a new province. 

Making south Punjab a separate province is our one-point agenda,” he said.