PML-N committed to creating new provinces: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the PML-N got approved resolutions from the assembly for creation of southern Punjab and restoration of defunct province of Bahawalpur. He said his party was committed to the demand of creation of new provinces, adding that no other party had dared to get approve resolutions for southern Punjab and Bahawalpur provinces. He expressed these view while talking to the current and former PML-N parliamentarians belonging to southern Punjab, who called on him at the party secretariat in Model Town. They reposed their complete confidence in his leadership and said billions of rupees had been spent on the development and prosperity of the region. Shahbaz had completed many projects in southern Punjab, which resulted in manifold increase in the party vote bank in the region. The chief minister said 36 per cent of the current year’s ADP [Rs 229 billion] was being utilised in southern Punjab. The past rulers, he added, used the slogan of creating the province for political purposes. He said the people of southern Punjab were fully served by the provincial government along with their elected representatives during the worst floods of 2010.

Shahbaz also highlighted a marked improvement in health, education, infrastructure development and other sectors of the region.

Those who called on the chief minister included Federal Minister Awais Leghari, Minister of State Abdul Rehman Kanju, Amjad Farooq Khosa, Malik Sultan Mehmood Hanjra, Ashique Hussain Gopang, Zeeshan Gurmani and Siddique Khan Baloch.

During the day, sitting and former lawmakers as well as local government representatives from other parts of the province – Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Azhar Qayyum Nahra, Chaudhry Tufail, Arshad Jutt, Mudassar Qayyum Nahra and Mazhar Qayyum Nahra – also met the chief minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz said the core agenda of the PML-N government WAS national development and prosperity of the people.