South Punjab: Qureshi to soon contact Shahbaz, Bilawal

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday said he will soon contact the PML-N President and Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on South Punjab. Speaking to the media persons here, he said there were some legal restrictions and the matter required a constitutional amendment.

“It is our desire and a part of our manifesto to make South Punjab a separate province and give it a separate identity,” he said. Talking about the Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s statement that Pakistan had to be a secular country to have better ties with India, he said Pakistan was an Islamic country and Gen Bipin’s remarks were uncalled-for.

Qureshi welcomed New Delhi’s response to Pakistan’s noble initiative of Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate the Indian Sikh pilgrims.

“We are thankful to the Indian government. They also sent two ministers to the ceremony, “he said. He said it was a good beginning that should be taken positively. The minister said opening of Kartarpur border had been welcomed all over the world.