South Punjab secretariat ‘to be established by July’

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi says it will help transfer power to grassroots level

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is serious and determined regarding the formation of South Punjab province.

“A civil secretariat will be formed by July through which transfer of authority to grassroots level will become possible,” said the foreign minister while presiding over a special meeting of South Punjab parliamentarians at the Foreign Office on Thursday.

The formation of South Punjab province and resolutions of the region’s issues were discussed in the meeting.

Qureshi said, “The issues of the people of South Punjab will be resolved and their deprivation will be compensated for.”

The foreign minister clarified that Prime Minister Imran Khan stood by his promise of a new South Punjab province and “today’s meeting is evidence that we have begun practical struggle for the formation of South Punjab province”. Qureshi said, “The place for formation of civil secretariat will soon be decided with mutual consultation.

“These meetings will continue in the future as well and in the next meeting we will also call the provincial assembly member from South Punjab and will move forward in the light of joint suggestions and strategy.”