Nawab of Bahawalpur issues deadline to restore province

LAHORE: The Nawab of Bahawalpur has demanded to restore the former princely state as a separate province before the incumbent government completes its tenure by end of the month.

Salahuddin Muhammad Abbasi currently holds the title as the Nawab of Bahawalpur, and is also a former member of parliament from Ahmedpur East in south Punjab. He is also the Chief of Bahawalpur National Awami Party (BNAP).

Addressing a press conference along with local influential politicians including Tahir Bashir Cheema, parliamentarian from Bahawalpur, and former minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, the Nawab of Bhawalpur said the province can easily be restored within three days.

He issued a final deadline to the governent to restore the province Bhawalpur by end May. He said that there was a sense of deprivation in Bhawalpur, which was being neglected in all spheres of life including employment and development projects.

He said that they do not want a seperate province of South Punjab, but instead want to restore Bhawalpur to its previous status.

He also announced that they would organise political gatherings in Rahimyar Khan on May 18, and in Bahawalnagar on May 25. He said that they will remain undetered and no negotiations will be held on the restoration of the Bahawalpur province.

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Mohammad Ali Durrani called for implementation on resolution in the Punjab Assembly calling for the restoration of Bahawalpur. He said the the people will oppose the PML-N candidates in the upcoming general elections if their demand is not fulfilled.

Bahawalpur was a princely state that existed from 1802 to 1955, and was part of Punjab States Agency.

In 1955, the Nawab of Bhawalpur Sadiq Muhammad signed an accord with Governor-General Malik Ghulam Muhammad and acceded to Pakistan, while maintaining the cermonial title as Nawab of Bhawalpur. The last ruling Nawab of Bahawalpur died in in May 1966 in London ending his 59 year long reign.

Recently, several members of the ruling PML-N parted ways and formed a seperate political party calling for the formation of a separate province in South Punjab.

They announced the formation of ‘Junubi Punjab Sooba Muhaz’ party demanding to give south Punjab a status of a separate province. Former acting prime minister Balakh Sher Mazari was chosen as their party head.

Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) chief Pir Pagara has also shown his support behind the cause of making south Punjab a separate province.