Islamabad: A majority of the participants at a meeting of the Executive Council on Creation of South Punjab have suggested setting up the proposed province’s headquarters in Bahawalpur, a news source reported. Prime Minister Imran Khan, who presided over the meeting that was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar among others, will take the final decision in this regard.
The prime minister had earlier issued directives for the Punjab Government to establish an administrative secretariat for South Punjab by July 2019. The creation of a new province requires amending the constitution with a two-third majority in both the Parliament and the Punjab Assembly.
The participants suggested the prime minister to announce a special development package for the people of the impoverished area in order to bring it at par with north Punjab. The funds should be allocated 50% each from the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of Punjab and Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of the federal government.
The government plans to give the status of the metropolis to either Multan or Bahawalpur, and the council has constituted six sub-committees to discuss various aspects in this regard.
