South Punjab Secretariat

In accordance with the PTI-led government’s policy of providing solutions to people’s problems closer to their homes through decentralisation of powers, the Punjab provincial government has posted 10 secretaries and created 70 new posts to make the South Punjab Secretariat functional. In August, the provincial cabinet had approved amendments to Rules of Business, 2011, with the purpose of making the new secretariat operational. It had also empowered secretaries for 16 provincial departments to perform duties at the new secretariat and 10 officers were posted there.

The new secretariat will save the residents of south Punjab from traveling all the way to Lahore for seeking solutions to their problems as these will be solved locally, thereby giving a fillip to progress in the hitherto neglected region. It will mitigate the sense of deprivation of the people of the region. The Punjab government has announced several incentives, including a special allowance, for the employees of the South Punjab Secretariat. Seventy-five percent of the basic pay will be given to the employees of the newly-created secretariat as executive allowance and 100% to those who were not getting this allowance previously. These incentives would motivate the employees to give their best for the fast development of the region.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who hails from the region, has said the PTI is making all efforts to fulfill its commitment made with the people of south Punjab so that their sense of deprivation could be removed. He says setting up of the new secretariat, the appointment of a chief secretary and inspector general of police, and creation of the posts of secretaries for the secretariat are some of the important steps towards providing improved services to the residents of the region. He believes the establishment of the South Punjab Secretariat and other such steps will lead to the creation of a South Punjab province. The government should ensure that more is not worse.