Shehbaz offers full support to govt for South Punjab province

• No hurdle for PTI in fulfilling what it promised

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday declared that the PML-N was ready to extend its “full cooperation” for the creation of a South Punjab province and the restoration of the Bahawalpur province in Punjab.

Taking the floor, the PML-N president said his party was considering tabling a private bill for this purpose and demanded that the government extend support in this regard.

Sharif said the PTI 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; the government itself had promised it,” Sharif reminded the treasury benches.

He also assured the government of his unconditional support for the project. “We are ready to establish the southern Punjab province with our heart and soul,” he added.

When PTI lawmaker Amir Dogar accused the opposition parties of “point scoring” on the issue, Sharif responded by saying, “This is not point scoring. Don’t talk about the past or a Pandora’s box will open […] support the private bill [for the creation of the province].”

Dogar was of the view that the PML-N was politicking on the the issue by seeking the restoration of the Bahawalpur province.

“The Bahawalpur province is not viable: how can three districts be declared a separate province?” he asked, adding that a committee should be constituted to look into the matter.

Also speaking on the matter, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called for a political consensus over the issue.

Taking the floor, he suggested that a parliamentary committee comprising the senior leadership of all political parties be constituted to look into the pros and cons of bifurcating Punjab. Meanwhile, the lawmakers should avoid political point scoring on this matter, he requested