Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema, MPA Muhammad Afzal and Bahawalpur National Awami Party (BNAP) General Secretary Mian Ilyas Ayaz and Additional Secretary Mian Rafatur Rehman called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to restore the provincial status of Bahawalpur.
Addressing press conferences in Bahawalpur and public meetings in Yezman, PML-Q and BNAP leaders claimed that the problems faced by 12.5 million people of Bahawalpur division could not be resolved till the restoration of Bahawalpur province. They said people living in Lahore and also areas closer to it were facing less load shedding compared to those living in Bahawalpur region. They said mega development projects were still confined to Lahore and no efforts had been made for the uplift of south Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 23rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (5)
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Not really interested in history, however rich it maybe. We as a nation have a pathological love of living in the past. Having said that, i am all for new provinces. The more the merrier. Make every district into a new province and you will not be disappointed in the outcome. Provided they are given autonomy to function and to resolve their own issues.
its not about population...its about the integrity. Bahawalpur was the free and one of the most richest state of sub-continent before 1947...but sadly due to some biased leaders and decision now the condition of it is deplorable...i respect your views but sorry to say that you know least about the rich history of Bahawalpur. if u think that declaring a separate province to Bahawalpur is a mistake then I have a question for u ? why the south Punjab is not like the other developed cities of upper Punjab like Lahore ?
Give the government some time to settle many other issues and then start talking about provincial division. Also a general rule must be defined that after a threshold of some Population limit transform that region into a new Province and in that case Both Karachi and Lahore could be declared new Provinces as well as If Bahawalpur with a population of mere 12.5 million demands new province then Lahore have a similar population and Karachi have a whopping 25 million+ population and they must be declared into new administrative units