PML-N lawmaker resigns for being ‘ignored’

ISLAMABAD: Amid daily resignations by fake degree-holding lawmakers, a legislator from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stood out by finding a different reason to relinquish his National Assembly seat – that is, the alleged indifference of his party towards him and his constituency.

MNA Muhammad Faiz Tamman from NA-61 (Chakwal-II) submitted his resignation to the National Assembly speaker on Friday which she accepted immediately.

Talking to The Express Tribune from his native town over the phone, Tamman said his resignation was in protest against the attitude of the PML-N’s top leadership towards his constituency.

Tamman had secured an unexpected victory against PML-Q heavyweight Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the 2008 general election.

Between 2002 and 2007, he was a member of the National Assembly from the PML-Q but later on he changed his affiliation.

Faiz accused Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif of harming his local image by preferring a provincial assembly member over him for the disbursement of development funds.

He said that a lawmaker of the PML-Q forward bloc in the Punjab Assembly was being rewarded by Sharif for his support when the PML-N government was put under governor’s rule in February 2009.

Tamman said that he raised these issues a couple of times with Sharif but his concerns were never heeded to.

Tamman added that Sharif contacted him immediately after the resignation but he refused to review his decision.

The resignation came a day after a PPP lawmaker from Bahawalpur stepped down over fears of being disqualified by the Supreme Court for contesting the 2008 general election on the basis of a fake degree.

Aamir Yar Waran, one of several legislators facing charges of holding a fake degree, called on PPP co-Chairman and President Asif Ali Zardari soon after relinquishing his National Assembly seat to discuss his plan to contest again.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2010.