THATTA, May 15: Five independent legislators-elect backed by the Shirazi group of Thatta have been approached indirectly by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with an invitation to join the party.

Shirazi group chief Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi said on Wednesday that a PML-N delegation led by former National Assembly deputy speaker Chaudhry Jaffer Iqbal, Rana Masood and former Sindh chief minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi visited Shirazi House on Tuesday to convey a special message from PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.

The Shirazi group-backed independent candidates declared elected in the unofficial results are Syed Ayaz Ali Shirazi (NA-238 Thatta-II), Syed Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi (PS-84), Syed Ameer Haider Shah Shirazi (PS-85), Syed Shah Hussain Shah Shirazi (PS-86) and Mohammad Ali Malkani (PS-87).

According to Shafqat Shirazi, he told Mr Masood, who has been maintaining contacts with elected candidates on behalf of the PML-N to drum up support for the future government at the centre and formulate the party’s strategy in the provincial assemblies, advised the Shirazi group to keep in touch with the top party leadership.

He said the PML-N delegation was told that it would be premature to take a decision. He said he needed some time to take inconfidence the candidates backed by his group.

Sources close to the Shirazi group said that the Shirazis were not able to take a decision because a recounting of votes in PS-84 and PS-85 was under way at the office of the district returning officer on a plea filed by PPP candidates Sassui Palijo and Hameed Soomro.