Govt decides to hold political dialogue for formation of South Punjab province: FM Qureshi

Last updated on: 15 May,2019 04:03 pm

Qureshi said the PTI has already introduced a Constitution Amendment in the National Assembly.

MULTAN (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has decided to initiate political dialogue to build consensus for the creation of South Punjab Province. Addressing a news conference in Multan on Wednesday, Qureshi said the PTI has already introduced a Constitution Amendment in the National Assembly for this purpose and we require two thirds majority to pass this amendment. The foreign minister said that he already had a positive sitting with Pakistan Peoples Party and consultations will be held with other parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to convince them to support the Constitution Amendment. Highlighting salient features of the Constitution Amendment, the minister said under this amendment, South Punjab will comprise of Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions. The seats of South Punjab Assembly will be 120 keeping in view the population of these divisions, he told.

Earlier today, PML-N tabled a resolution in Punjab Assembly demanding to form Bahawalpur province.

The resolution submitted by PML-N’s Hina Pervez Butt stated that if government is serious about forming South Punjab province then it should also accept Bahawalpur province.

The resolution also stated that the new provinces will help in distribution of resources and authorities at equal level. It’s now duty of the incumbent government to fulfill its promise of making new provinces as it has come into power, it added.