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Sunday, May 13, 2012
‘N’ to move resolution in NA for Bahawalpur province: Shahbaz* Punjab chief minister says PML-N will demand commission for creation of new provinces
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would soon table a resolution in the National Assembly with regards to restoration of Bahawalpur province so that federal government could be forced to take steps in this regard.
He was addressing a gathering of national and provincial assembly members of Bahawalpur Division, PML-N office-bearers and notables at Bahawalpur Circuit House, on Saturday.
Shahbaz Sharif said, “It has been stated in the resolution presented in the provincial assembly for restoration of Bahawalpur province that the people of Bahawalpur are struggling for restoration of Bahawalpur province for a long time,” adding that this demand was not for a new province but for the restoration of a former province and it had its administrative, geographical and constitutional status. He said it was the opinion of the House that the former province should be restored. The chief minister disclosed that in the second resolution approved by the Punjab Assembly, it had been stated that federal government should constitute a commission for creation of new provinces keeping in view the geographical, political, administrative and historical position of the areas, including southern Punjab, FATA, Hazara and other areas of Pakistan.
Shahbaz said that it was a fact that a party takes vote from this region by deceiving the people but did nothing for this area. He said that in the previous tenure of the same party, bullets were fired on the people of Bahawalpur province movement. He said that it was to credit of the PML-N, which approved the resolution for restoration of Bahawalpur province, while the prime minister did not want the restoration. He said that the country had plunged into darkness, economy was being ruined, chimneys of industries had stopped emitting smoke, agriculture was being destroyed and millions of people were jobless, therefore, country could not progress until ousting of ‘Ali Baba and Forty Thieves’.
Shahbaz said that his government set up Daanish Schools for providing quality education to poor and deserving children. He said that these institutions were comparable with the prestigious institutions like Aitchison College. Similarly, setting up of a modern 400-bed hospital, a network of roads has also been laid in Bahawalpur, he added. He said that solid steps had been taken for social development as well as setting up of technical and educational institutions.
Provincial President Functional League Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood said that the dream of Bahawalpur province would be materialised due to sincere efforts of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif. Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that with restoration of old province, the rights would be provided to the people of southern Punjab and Bahawalpur province and their deprivations would be removed. PML-N Senior Vice President Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar said that the PML-N had given practical shape to the voice of the people of Bahawalpur for approving the resolution of restoration of province. Provincial Minister Iqbal Channar said that the movement of Bahawalpur province would be remembered for a long time and make the future of next generations bright. Senior Adviser to CM Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa also attended the function. staff report
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk