ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed for setting up and functional of South Punjab Secretariat by the mid of 2019.
During a meeting regarding South Punjab province, the premier was given a detailed briefing about administrative affairs of the new province in South Punjab.
Federal Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar briefed the meeting about the social and economic situation of South Punjab province.
The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Minister for Planning, Khusro Bakhtiar, Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht and chief secretary.
During the campaign for 2018 General Elections, the PTI had included the formation of a new province in South Punjab to their election manifesto after a newly-emerged party named Junoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz joined the Imran Khan-led party.
The new province is likely to be formed without resistance as two major opposition parties, Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz are in favour of it.
According to Article 239 of the Constitution, the process of creating new provinces requires a two-thirds majority in separate votes in the National Assembly and Senate and then a further two-third majority in the provincial assembly of the affected province.
