South Punjab Secretariat to become functional from July: FM Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday that the process to envisage South Punjab and materialize it into a reality should now be completed and everyone should support the idea, ARY News reported.

FM Qureshi said that the incumbent government does not seek any credit for fulfilling an ardent demand of the residents living on south Punjab belt.

Qureshi said that those trying to oppose the idea should focus on the positives of this creation rather than projecting and highlighting the few negatives that exist.

The foreign minister said that the government wants to move forward and implement what it had promised before coming into power and asks for no glory in return, the governments only focus is ensuring the best living standards possible for its people.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi added that the government has remained in support of the south Punjab province and will continue to support it although some in the opposition want to use the prospect as leverage to score political points.

The foreign minister revealed that two officers will be designated to a newly formed south Punjab secretariat, the approval for the institute and offices has already been given by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

“An additional Inspector General (IG) South and an additional IG South will be designated to as the first inductees to South Punjab’s independent setup, we are looking towards the month of April to move ahead with the process of physically enacting what has thus far been discussed and agreed upon,” said FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

“The first day of July is the tentative date of the inauguration and formal activation of the South Punjab Secretariat.”

Qureshi also revealed that the province will be seen as a separate entity and will be represented as such in the upcoming budget and will get its due share of resources.

The foreign minister rubbished news and rumours regarding the creation of a separate province for Bahawalpur and said that the matter was still being deliberated upon and was undecided.