Call to restore Bahawalpur status as province

LAHOREL Bahawalpur National Awami Party President and Ameer of Bahawalpur Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi has given a deadline for restoration of former province of Bahawalpur and demanded that the province should be restored before expiry of government tenure whereas Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Secretary General and MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema supporting the demand has announced participating in the movement for restoration of the province.

He said this while addressing a joint press conference along with former federal minister and Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Jamaat-e-Islami leader and MPA Dr Waseem Akhtar, Muslim League Functional Punjab President Makhdoom Ashraf Iqbal and Prince Bahawal Abbas Abbasi at Muslim League House on Wednesday. He said the movement for this purpose will be launched after May 30.

Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi said if the resolution about restoration of Bahawalpur province is not implemented then full movement will be launched. He said the province restoration is possible in just three days, ‘rulers have not fulfilled promises made with us, people of Bahawalpur want to see their separate province, former State of Bahawalpur and our elders on every step had supported Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, whenever budget of Pakistan fell short then Bahawalpur helped’.

He said on deep desire of ‘my late grandfather and people having great love for Islam, in the light of the decision of the Quaid-i-Azam Bahawalpur region became part of Pakistan as a basic entity and it got provincial status’.

“Unfortunately recognition of this region was snatched away by Yahya Khan. Our demand is that promise and decision of the Quaid-i-Azam be implemented and people of Bahawalpur region be returned their recognition, this is constitutional, legal and historical right of this region, this is also question of respecting the promise of the Quaid-i-Azam, it is responsibility of all of us that these promises be honoured and their implementation ensured”, he said.

Leaders of Restoration of Bahawalpur Province Movement said now the people are not ready to accept lollypop based on a false promise, own promises be implemented prior to general elections otherwise in the streets of Bahawalpur grave peoples resistance movement will be launched against N-League and rule of "jhoot aur loot" rule continuing in Bahawalpur will no longer be tolerated. Tariq Bashir Cheema this peoples’ movement started prior to elections 2018 will announce its second phase line of action after May 30.

He said that an impression is being given in Bahawalpur Division that entire Bahawalpur is demanding South Punjab province, ‘we differ from this, our demand is for Bahawalpur province, South Punjab be made separate province, we invite South Punjab province people to launch movement jointly with us, Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif card is not acceptable now, during tenure of Ch Pervaiz Elahi local bodies representatives were powerful due to which sense of deprivation was reduced.’

He said for giving lollypop to people in elections 2018, N-leaguers are talking about stationing of Additional Chief Secretary and Additional IG in Multan after May 20, ‘we do not accept this decision’.

Muhammad Ali Durrani said people are not ready to accept any new fraud of those who have ruled for five years after winning election in the name of the province, they will go to any limit for their right, for their identity and implementation of the promise made by the Quaid-i-Azam.

He said next week a whitepaper based on Provincial Assembly resolution and exposing ‘falsehood’ of N-League leadership will be issued, a whitepaper based on government exploitation and loot will be issued every week, processions will be taken out from all mosques of Bahawalpur city on May 11 after Juma prayers in support of restoration of the province which will gather at Chowk Fuwara and together will march forward up to Farid Gate, processions will be taken out in Rahim Yar Khan on May 18 and in Bahawal Nagar on May 25.

Muhammad Ali Durrani said if Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif did not restore the province prior to expiry of their government then people of Bahawalpur will not allow Muslim League (N) candidates to contest election and get their securities forfeited.

Dr Waseem Akhtar said: “We demand of the government to accept restoration of Bahawalpur province constitutional, legal, moral and historical right within 30 days in accordance with the law and said people of Bahawalpur will no longer accept further exploitation, injustice, oppression and denial of the province.

Muslim League (Functional) Punjab President Makhdoom Ashraf Iqbal said patience of people of Bahawalpur should not be tested any more.