ISLAMABAD: The PPP is under immense pressure to sack Israrullah Zehri as minister for defending burial of five alive women in Balochistan, The News learnt here on Tuesday.

“Minister Zehri has been asked by a key PPP minister to explain his position on the women issue, as the major party in the ruling coalition is facing constant pressure from different sides, including the civil society, for giving the MP representation at the Centre,” sources in the PPP revealed to this correspondent.

However, these sources added that the minister was not sure whether or not to talk to the media again on this particular issue, which could again make headlines. “Some of his aides have asked him to keep mum,” they noted.

This correspondent tried several times to get his comments on the new development but his cell phone was switched off. Zehri was inducted into the cabinet early this month. PML-Q legislator Bibi Yasmeen Shah had raised the issue in the upper house of parliament. The Senate had also passed a condemnation resolution on this count.

In the recently prorogued session, she sought support of other senators from Balochistan on this issue in connection with the investigation as all of them had spoken against a contractor assigned to construct roads and highways in their province.

The BNP-Awami was also part of the ruling coalition, headed by the PML-Q. The party has two lawmakers in the Senate. Sources close to Israrullah Zehri claimed that the BNP-Awami chief might resign from the cabinet, but would not change his views on the issue if pressed hard by the ruling party. “Our traditions are more valuable than a ministerial slot,” they quoted him as saying.