KARACHI:
Being the cornerstone of the PTI’s electoral campaign, the creation of a South Punjab province was something that reverberated not only with the inhabitants of South Punjab but also with individuals who thought that Punjab was too powerful as a province. However, the alarming aspect in this political move was that it would mean the PTI was losing ground in central Punjab.
Even though the solution of administratively empowering the region through an autonomous and separate secretariat might appear workable on paper, the ground realities are diametrically opposed to it as the bureaucracy in Lahore would not be too keen on dispersing its powers.
However, with Multan being the new seat for the Additional Inspector General Police, Bahawalpur being the home to the newly established position of additional Chief Secretary along sixteen full secretariats sitting in South Punjab, and the cabinet passing the new Rules of Business, it becomes apparent that when the bureaucracy steps in to change the rules of the game, they mean business. This political setup has given much ease to the citizens in South Punjab as they no longer need to travel to Lahore to get their issues resolved. What remains unresolved, however, is the fact that the key to the treasury remains with the provincial government. Therefore, budgetary allocations and spending decisions still remain contestable as Lahore continues to hold the kitty for South Punjab. Nevertheless, the silver lining from this political decision is that the government of the day has taken a laudable step for one of the most densely populated provinces in the country.
The creation of new provinces on the basis of administrative ease is something that should be welcomed with broad mindset. Irrespective of political power plays, the creation of a South Punjab province may prove to be a great success for the PTI-led government if the decision is able to alleviate the woes of the people.
Hadia Mukhtar
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th, 2020.
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