Government's decision to submit a bill to make southern Punjab province in the National Assembly

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the government has decided to introduce a bill in the National Assembly to make southern Punjab a province.

Addressing a press conference with Assistant Special Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan in Islamabad, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that an important meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, which included Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, Chief Secretary and IG Punjab as well as South Punjab Provincial Ministers and members of the Provincial and National Assembly also attended.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the Prime Minister has decided that a bill will be presented to the National Assembly for the practical implementation of the project of southern Punjab province and other political parties will be consulted in this regard. Support will be obtained.

He said that other political parties also believe that South Punjab is a region of the deprived, whose deprivation should be eliminated.

Talking about the details of the meeting, he said that Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar has said that in this fiscal budget which will be made this year, 35% of the funds will be allocated for South Punjab, which will not be returned.

The Foreign Minister said that the funds allocated in the previous period were identified in the budget but were withdrawn during the year when the time for actual use of the funds came from South Punjab. ۔

According to the Foreign Minister, the funds allocated in the budget have now been given protection which cannot be withdrawn.

He said that since the bill requires a constitutional amendment and it will take time for political reconciliation, the meeting also decided to resolve their issues near their doorstep without delaying the long-standing demand of the people. Secretariat should be established.

He said that in the month of April, Additional Chief Secretary and Additional Inspector General of Police (IGP) should be appointed in South Punjab as it required time to become an Infrastructure and a full Secretary.

He said that one of these two officials would build Bahawalpur while the other would build its headquarters in Multan.