MPAs-Buzdar meeting creates stir in PML-N

Shehbaz-led party issues show cause notices; says they will not be issued tickets in next polls

LAHORE:

The “unofficial meeting” of six Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has created a stir among the party’s leadership.

The PML-N on Thursday issued show-cause notices to the six lawmakers, who met the Punjab CM, without seeking prior permission of its leadership.

“The party [PML-N] is considering to take serious action against these members. We will be discussing legal options to get them de-seated,” spokesperson Azma Bukhari said.

“They will not be issued tickets in the next general elections,” she added.

According to details, legislators from Punjab Assembly belonging to different political parties met CM Buzdar on Thursday to discuss issues pertaining to their respective constituencies without obtaining permission from their party leaders.

The Nawaz-league lawmakers, who met the chief minister, include Mian Jalil Ahmed Sharqpuri, Chaudhry Ashraf Ali Ansari, Nishat Ahmed Daha, Muhammad Abu Hafas Ghayasuddin, Azhar Abbas and Mohammad Faisal Khan Niazi. Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Ghazanfar Ali was also present in the meeting.

The meeting came in the backdrop of Buzdar’s approving the formation of a South Punjab secretariat — a move that is expected to pave way for the creation of a new province.

Last month, the Punjab government had allowed creation of 385 posts, including an additional chief secretary (ACS) and additional Inspector-General (AIG) Punjab, to make the proposed South Punjab civil secretariat functional.

The chief minister told his party MPAs that the south Punjab secretariat would be set up in Multan and the ACS and AIG would soon be posted in Bahawalpur and Multan, respectively.

While, the South Punjab secretariat will cover three divisions — Multan, Bahawalpur and DG Khan, the government has sought panels of three senior officers each for the selection of ACS South Punjab and AIG South Punjab.

The south Punjab civil secretariat will function under the additional chief secretary and house 18 departments, including planning and development, health, education, irrigation, communication and works, finance, local government, housing, women development, energy and agriculture.

Each department will be represented by a special secretary, while having full powers of an administrative secretary.

The special secretary of each department will have a team of two additional secretaries, four deputy secretaries and four section officers besides ministerial and support staff.

As the PTI took reins of the Punjab government in 2018 general elections, it created an Executive Council on Creation of South Punjab province.

However, it soon realized that creating a new province required amending the constitution and a consent of the Punjab Assembly with two-thirds majority in the parliament and in the provincial assembly.