Will PML-N continue with spree of correcting its MPs?

LAHORE Prior to MNA Anjum Aqeels 'forced escape from the police station, as being portrayed by certain quarters, there has been numerous instances when the parliamentarians of the Pakistan Muslim League-N have brought embarrassment to the party leadership. Since 2008 general polls, over half a dozen MNAs and MPAs remained in news for bad reasons, while their leaders had been involving themselves for scanning the good guys from the rogue elements. That is why, in dire contradiction to other political parties Jamshed Dastis, the N-leaders opted for stern action against its members by asking the latter to tender resignations, warnings and face criticism. Nevertheless, these incidents was given extraordinary media coverage, and caught flak since the PML-N has been attaching huge importance to morals and ethics. Since his escape, Anjum Aqeel, also senior vice-president PML-N Capital, has been declared as proclaimed offender. His leaders have made it clear that any action against law would not be endorsed by the party. In 2009, N-Leagues MNA from Rawalpindi Haji Pervaiz Khan resigned from his seat of the Parliament after he was found guilty of letting nephew sit in examination in his place. After probe, the party had asked him to tender his resignation as he failed to prove his innocence in the scandal. Haji Pervaiz was scheduled to sit in intermediate examination on April 29, but his nephew was caught attempting the paper as a proxy candidate. From Punjab, MPA Shumaila Rana had to resign from her seat and party slot after she was caught using a stolen credit card for approximately Rs 60,000, and was indicted under Section 379, while Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal granted police permission to arrest her. Also the then Minister Prisons Ch Abdul Ghafoor was accused of misbehaving with customs officials at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in 2009. He was found scuffling with airport officials to ensure his friends exit without being frisked. Shahbaz Sharif constituted a committee to investigate the matter while Ghafoor was stopped from working during the inquiry. However, he was given an honourable exit. Then Ghafoor manhandled two female lawmakers on the floor of the Punjab Assembly, and used abusive language against Bushra Nawaz Gardezi for protesting against the Punjab CM. His entry was banned for eight days. Then Adviser to the CM MPA Munawar Gill was accused by a lady Tahira Parveen, and lodged a case against him for raping her. She also accused the lawmaker for occupying her sisters land illegally. A schoolteacher Kalsoom Baloch accused another parliamentarian Iftikhar Baloch of harassing her in-laws. She got an FIR registered charging Abbas of kidnapping and theft. However, charges were proved to be 'wrong. The PML-N leaders have also ordered an inquiry into the firing incident during the party rally held recently in Faisalabad. Political analysts believe that the party discipline is encouraging, and all parties should follow certain code of conduct to develop faith among the masses that the political parties have an internal accountability as well.

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