Islamabad (Web Desk): Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that a bill will be tabled in the National Assembly (NA) for the creation of the South Punjab province.
Addressing the media alongside Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, the foreign minister said that the decision in this regard was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The FM said the meeting also decided to set up a secretariat for Southern Punjab for solving people's problems at their door steps.
He said that Rs3.5 billion and 1,350 additional posts will be required for establishing a separate secretariat for South Punjab.
Responding to a question, the minister said that the capital of South Punjab will be decided after consultations with the government and the people.
"However, next month, an additional chief secretary and an additional inspector general of police for Southern Punjab will start working", Qureshi said adding that one of them will have his office in Multan while the other's office will be set up in Bahawalpur.
The foreign minister congratulated the people of south Punjab for the effective steps taken by PM Imran to implement the promise made to the people.
"It is a historic development as practical steps towards realization of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) promise to the people of South Punjab have been started", He said.
FM Qureshi expressed the hope that other political parties will support the bill keeping in view their stance for giving rights to the people of southern Punjab.
He said that the two-thirds majority is required for the amendment, and for the purpose, a political consensus will be built.
The minister said that PM Imran has called a meeting of the parliamentary party on Thursday to take them into confidence on the issue.
He added that the ruling PTI will start reaching out to other political parties in this regard as well.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting to review matters related to the establishment of South Punjab Secretariat.
Senior government officials and lawmakers from South Punjab attended the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Kashmir Committee Chairman Syed Fakhar Imam, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen, Minister for National Food Security Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister of State Shabbir Ali Qureshi and SAPM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan.
