(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Unfazed by threats from five lawmakers to resign, the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has decided not to yield to a religious group's demand for the removal of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.
None of the dissident lawmakers has actually resigned and the ruling party believes that reports of the handing over of resignation letters to a Sargodha-based cleric are mere threats.
No resignation has been received either in the National Assembly secretariat or in the Punjab Assembly secretariat.
A senior PML-N leader, requesting anonymity, said that the government is in no mood to 'surrender like it did in case of the Faizabad sit-in by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, which only ended after federal law minister Zahid Hamid tendered his resignation.
However, now a splinter faction of the same group, led by Ashraf Jalali, has continued the protest in Lahore, calling for minister Sanaullah to step down as well.
The demand is now being supported by Hameeduddin Sialvi, the cleric from Sargodha.
'There would be no end to this, said the leader, referring to the demand by Sialvi. 'If you accept one demand, they will come up with another, then another and so on.
The PML-N leadership is, however, relieved that Sialvi could only present five of its lawmakers, expressing their readiness to quit during a religious rally in Faisalabad, even though he had claimed to have more than 'a dozen lawmakers at his beck and call.
Under electoral laws, only speakers of the respective assemblies have the authority to accept or reject the resignation of an assembly member.
In case of a senator resigning, the decision to accept or reject rests with Senate chairman.
Even a party chief cannot have any lawmaker ousted from parliament or a provincial assembly.
A PML-N senator, who wished to be kept unnamed, said that party president Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other top leaders of the party have agreed not to show any flexibility regarding the demand for Sanaullah's resignation.
'We are still reeling from the fallout of the Faizabad operation. We can't afford another such blow, said the senator. 'We are not concerned about resignations. But the situation can get ugly if any street agitation starts.
'Sialvi's public address in Faisalabad shows he can pull a sizeable crowd. This needs to be countered, he said.
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