ISLAMABAD – The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif has announced that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was ready to extend its full cooperation for the creation of a South Punjab province as well as the restoration of the Bahawalpur province in Punjab.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Thursday, the president of PML-N said his party was considering tabling a private bill for this purpose.
Demanding that the government should extend support in this regard, the junior Sharif said the ruling party had also promised to create the South Punjab province and it should now take steps for its implementation.
“Don’t run away from the [creation of the] province,” Sharif reminded the lawmakers from the treasury benches.
The former chief minister Punjab said his party was ‘ready to establish the southern Punjab province with our heart and soul’.
When PTI lawmaker Amir Dogar accused the opposition parties of point scoring on the issue, Sharif responded that this was not point scoring.
Don’t talk about the past or a Pandora’s box will open, Shehbaz replied and sought the support of government for the private bill.
Dogar continued that PML-N was politicking on the issue by seeking the restoration of the Bahawalpur province.
“The Bahawalpur province is not viable,” he asserted and wondered how can three districts be declared a separate province?.
He also proposed the formation of a committee to look into the matter.
Dishing in on the matter, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called for a political consensus over the issue.
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The minister suggested that a parliamentary committee with the senior leadership of all political parties be formed to look into the pros and cons of the issue.
Qureshi also invited all political forces to support the PTI government in the Punjab Assembly, the National Assembly, and the Senate for the creation of the South Punjab province.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari claimed the credit for highlighting the issue of South Punjab province.
“We will get support for the bill in the Senate as well as the National Assembly,” he said and hoped that the PTI government will not back off from the issue.
On the occasion, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Tariq Bashir Cheema called for the creation of the Bahawalpur province instead of the South Punjab province.
“The speeches of the prime minister are on the record wherein he promised to create the Bahawalpur province,” the PML-Q leader shared.
