‘Fake degree holders should resign’

LAHORE: All PML-N members who got elected on the basis of fake degrees should voluntarily resign to save the party from further embarrassment, Chief of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz, Mian Nawaz Sharif said on Friday.

The issue of fake degrees came up during a meeting held here to discuss the party’s reorganisation efforts, especially in Punjab, adding that the campaign would end by September. Addressing party members, Mr Sharif said: “High-level committees will be set up in a few days to monitor the process in other provinces,” he said. Referring to the next party elections, Mr Sharif said: “Our basic responsibility is to uphold democratic norms. We have to make sure that the party elections are held in accordance with the party’s constitution and the electoral process is transparent, free and fair at all levels.”

He urged party officials to quickly complete electoral lists to expedite the process throughout Punjab. Senior party members were also to visit all provincial divisions within the next 15 days and compile detailed progress reports on their restructuring activities. The report is to provide recommendations regarding the party’s interim divisional, district, and tehsillevel structure. The report is to be discussed at the next meeting under the supervision of the party’s chief organiser, Nawaz Sharif.

PML-N is to hold party meeting every other week to finish restructuring. The same process is to be replicated in the other provinces shortly. On a different note, Sharif acknowledged the sacrifices of the PML-N’s party workers who had stood by the party during the last 10 years, especially during Tehrik-i-Nijat and after. These workers would be given priority in the reorganization process. The participants included Zulfiqar Khosa, Pervaiz Rasheed, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Ashfaq Sarwar, Hamza Shahbaz, Rana Sanaullah, Capt Safdar, Khurram Dastagir, Javed latif and DR Asif Kirmani.