ISLAMABAD – Taking a step to realise another pledge made during election campaign, Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered the formation of a special executive council for creating of a new province comprising areas of south Punjab.
A notification for the council will be issued in two days, local media reported. Headed by Chaudhry Bashir, the new body will comprise Samiullah, Sardar Ali Raza, Chaudhry Akram, Dost Mohammad Mazari, Anwar A. Khan, and Sahibzadar Ghazeen Abbas.
The special council will be responsible to give suggestions on the creation of the new province and its administrative matters. It will also recommend either Multan or Bahawalpur as a capital of the new province after consideration.
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.
