10 PML-N MPs ditch party

LAHORE: As many as eight lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), 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 here on Monday, MNA Khusro Bakhtiar 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 announced, adding in the new province, the budget for one district would not be spent on the other.

Along with Bakhtiar, Tahir Iqbal (MNA from Vehari), Rana Muhammad Qasim (MNA from Multan), Basit Bokhari (MNA from Muzaffargarh), Sardar Dareshak and Saleemullah Chaudhry also announced quitting the PML-N.

Bakhtiar, who previously served as minister of state for foreign affairs, said their alliance will be led by former interim prime minister Balakh Sher Mazari and Sardar Dareshak will be the president of the alliance. He said one of the reasons behind their parting ways with the party is the over 51 per cent poverty rate, which is the highest in the region. "I greatly admire and respect Lahore but cannot forget the pain of the south Punjab where my ancestors are buried," Bakhtiar noted, explaining the need for a separate province. He claimed that majority of the people of south Punjab are with him and will soon join the new alliance.

Sardar Nasrullah Dareshak also spoke on the occasion, and said the feeling of deprivation among the masses could only end by creating a separate province. “We are launching a movement for the stability of Pakistan. The creation of new provinces would prevent hatred,” Dareshak asserted, they would not sit idle till the establishment of the new province.

Speaking next, Rana Qasim said the Federation weakens when deprivation increases. Tahir Iqbal said both the people and the politicians of southern Punjab wanted a new province. On the occasion, two MPAs Ali Asghar Manda and Tariq Mehmood Bajwa, announced contesting the 2018 generalelections for the National Assembly as independents. Manda was an MPA since 2008. He was elected as a PML-N candidate from PP-165 Sheikhupura-IV in the 2008 general elections and was re-elected in 2013. Tariq Mehmood Bajwa was an MPA since 2008. He was elected to the Provincial Assembly as a PML-N candidate from PP-170 Nankana Sahib-I in general elections 2008 and re-elected in 2013.

Meanwhile, the PML-N Youth Wing Multan office-bearers announced joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Welcoming the office bearers, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the PTI wanted active and sincere workers to convey the party's message to the people. The PML-N Youth Wing District President Sheikh Wajid Shaukat announced quitting the PML-N and joining the PTI along with other office-bearers.