MPs to decide capital of South Punjab: Shah Mehmood Qureshi

Foreign Minister says ready to give credit to other parties if they back bill for creation of new province

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said the elected representatives of South Punjab would decide the capital of the proposed new province.

Speaking to reporters at the Circuit House, the minister, whose constituency falls in the southern Punjab city of Multan, clarified that rumours about the South Punjab secretariat being set up only in Bahawalpur were false.

"I categorically state that such a decision has not been taken,” he added, claiming that some elements are bent on creating confusion among the people.

The minister explained that as the PTI lacked required majority in parliament for the creation of a new province, it had decided to set up a secretariat to facilitate the people.

“No amendment is required for the establishment of civil secretariat in the region.”

During consultation meetings for the South Punjab province, some people wished that Multan should be capital of the new province. They presented their arguments in favour of Multan.

Similarly, others wanted Bahawalpur to be the capital of South Punjab. In the meetings, they discussed various administrative and financial requirements for the new province.

“It was decided that two officers, an additional chief secretary and an additional IG, would be deputed,” Qureshi said.

“The decision about where to establish the secretariat will be made by the South Punjab Assembly. Keeping in mind the needs, merit and feasibility, it [the assembly] will make an informed decision. But in order to move forward, it has been decided to have one part of the secretariat in Bahawalpur and other in Multan," he added.

“By doing so, the government had demonstrated a determined, political decision.”

Qureshi said that Multan and Bahawalpur were easily accessible to the people of the region. “They can have their problems resolved within a day at the local secretariat.

The minister said the PTI is making sincere efforts for creation of the South Punjab province and is ready to give credit for the new province to other political parties if they support the move.

“We will try our best to seek the PPP and the PML N for the creation of the new province.” He also urged the elected representatives of the two parties from South Punjab to back the initiative.

(With additional input from APP)