LAHORE: PML N leader Tahir Iqbal who had left PML N today has revealed thatout of the total 50 MNAs of the South Punjab, they are in contact with atleast 40 MNAs from South Punjab who are about to leave party in comingdays.
The newly formed front has revealed that all MNAs are agreeing on a singlepoint of a new province.
Today 8 lawmakers have left party and in coming days all 40 lawmakers wouldbe leaving the party. Earlier the news of junk of MNAs quitting party hadalso surfaced in the media.
Today eight Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmakers, including six MNAs andtwo MPAs, parted ways with the ruling party on Monday, announcing thelaunch of a mass movement to make southern Punjab a separate province.
“The purpose of the press conference is to announce the movement *JunoobiPunjab Suba Mahaaz* to create a new province,” Khusro Bakhtiar said whileaddressing a press conference in Lahore along with other disgruntledleaders.
“Making south Punjab a separate province is our one-point agenda,” he said.
Bakhtiar said that in the new south Punjab province, budget of one districtwon’t be spent in another.
Bakhtiar, who is a member of the National Assembly from a PML-N seat, haspreviously served as minister of state for foreign affairs. Along withhim,Tahir Iqbal (MNA from Vehari), Rana Muhammad Qasim (MNA from Multan),Basit Bukhari (MNA from Muzaffargarh),Sardar Dareshak and SaleemullahChauhdry also announced that they were quitting the PML-N.
Stating that they will create a separate province for southern Punjab,Bakhtiar said, “Poverty rate is higher than 51% in southern Punjab.”
“The creation of a separate province for southern Punjab is a one-pointagenda,” he added.
“I greatly admire and respect Lahore but cannot forget the pain of southPunjab where my ancestors are buried,” Bakhtiar added explaining the needfor a separate province.
Bakhtiar added that the people and politicals of south Punjab are with himand will soon join their alliance.
The lawmakers said their alliance will be led by former interim primeminister Balakh Sher Mazari and Sardar Dareshak will be the co-chairman ofthe alliance.
On the occasion, two PML-N MPAs Ali Asghar Manda and Tariq Mehmood Bajwaannounced they’ll be contesting in the 2018 general elections from theNational Assembly as independent candidates.
Ali Asghar Manda has been a Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjabsince 2008. He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Punjab as acandidate of PML-N from PP-165 Sheikhupura-IV constituency in the 2008general elections and was re-elected in 2013.
Tariq Mehmood Bajwa has also been a Member of the Provincial Assembly ofPunjab since 2008. He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Punjab as aPML-N from PP-170 Nankana Sahib-I constituency in general elections 2008and re-elected in 2013.
Earlier in 2002, both the MPAs contested general elections as independentcandidates but were not elected.