RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said they are committed to the demand of creation of new provinces.

“The PML-N got approved resolutions from the Assembly for setting up of southern Punjab province and restoration of defunct province of Bahawalpur,” he said while talking to the PML-N parliamentarians belonging to Southern Punjab, here at Model Town on Tuesday.

Shahbaz met the PML-N legislators from South Punjab a day after eight legislators of the party parted ways with the ruling party and announced to launch the South Punjab Province Front for creation of separate province of South Punjab.

Shahbaz maintained that no other party had dared to get approved resolutions for the demand of creation of southern Punjab and Bahawalpur provinces. He said that people of southern Punjab were fully served by the provincial government along with their elected representatives during the worst floods of 2010.

The PML-N legislators from South Punjab reposed their full confidence over the leadership of Shahbaz Sharif and said that resources worth billions of rupees have been provided for the development and prosperity of southern Punjab under his leadership.

“Shahbaz Sharif has got completed a lot of development works in southern Punjab and due to it, the PML-N vote bank has been increased manifold in southern Punjab,” they said.

Shahbaz said that the PML-N government has provided resources worth billions of rupees for the progress and prosperity of southern Punjab. During the current fiscal year, 36-percent of the ADP is being spent on southern Punjab, he added. He said that development projects worth Rs 229 billion are being completed in southern Punjab during the current fiscal year. Unluckily, past rulers used the slogan of creation of province of southern Punjab for their political purposes.

Shahbaz said that he has always been standing with the people of southern Punjab and disclosed that Fort Munro is being developed as a tourist spot by the government. He said that marked improvements have been brought in different sectors in the southern Punjab including health, education and infrastructure development.

Those who called on CM included Federal Minister Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Minister of State Abdul Rehman Kanjo, Member National Assembly Sardar Amjad Farooq Khan Khosa, Malik Sultan Mehmood Hunjra, Sardar Ashique Hussain Gopang, Member Provincial Assembly Zeshan Gurmani and former MNA Saddique Khan Baloch whereas Provincial Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad and Special Assistant to CM Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan were also present on the occasion.