ISLAMABAD: *PTI government takes a big initiative over the creation ofSouth Punjab province.*
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said the PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has decided to table a bill in theNational Assembly for creating South Punjab province.
Addressing a news conference along with Special Assistant on Informationand Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, he said the decision in this regardwas taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The foreign minister expressed the hope that other political parties willsupport the bill keeping in view their stance for giving rights to thepeople of southern Punjab.
He said two-thirds majority will be required for the amendmentlink,and for the purpose, a political consensus will be built.
“Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hadalready supported the creation of South Punjab province and we hope thatthe bill will be passed with a majority,” he added.
Briefing media about the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran inIslamabad, he said the meeting has decided to set up a secretariat forsouthern Punjab for solving people’s problems at their doorsteps.
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Rs3.5 billion and 1350 additional pots will be required for establishing aseparate secretariat for South Punjab said Qureshi, adding that anadditional chief secretary and an additional inspector general of policefor Southern Punjab will start working on the process.
FM Qureshi said that govt has decidedlink to set up a Secretariat forSouth Punjab province in Bahawalpur.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said it is a historic development as practical stepstowards realization of the PTI’s promise to the people of South Punjab havebeen started.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired an important meetingregarding South Punjab in Islamabad on Wednesday morning.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for National Food SecurityKhusro Bakhtiar, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Minister of StateShabbir Ali Qureshi, Kashmir Committee Chairman Syed Fakhar Imam, SpecialAssistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, PTIleader Jahangir Tareen, provincial ministers, members of National Assemblyand the provincial assembly belonging to southern Punjab attended themeeting.
