South Punjab: Qureshi to contact Shahbaz, Bilawal soon

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi 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.

He said Indian army chief Bipin Rawat’s recent statement is meaningless and that it will not change Pakistan’s ideology.

Speaking to reporters in Multan, the foreign minister said, “The opening of Kartarpur corridor was hailed globally.”

"It was our wish that the foreign minister and the governor of Punjab also attend the groundbreaking but this was a good first step and we should take it in a positive way,” he added.

The foreign minister continued, "It is Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government’s desire that there should be peace and stability in the region. If there is peace in the region, the government can pay attention to the problems facing the country. Pakistan is facing economic and employment issues which can be solved through investment,” he said. “Investment will only come through peace,” FM Qureshi stressed.

On the subject of a separate South Punjab province, the foreign minister said, “A separate South Punjab province is part of our manifesto and we are working towards finalising it.”

Qureshi shared that the steps needed to facilitate the people of South Punjab have been decided. “We will make a secretariat and will employ senior officers who will make sure that problems are solved closer to home rather than Lahore.”

“Keeping in mind the region's backwardness and requirements it has been decided that a separate development programme will be set up from next year. If we take a look at the current budget it is clear that more money is spent on other districts than South Punjab which creates an imbalance and we need to end that,” he added.

When asked about the rise in the price of the dollar, the foreign minister said, “There are several reasons behind the rise of the dollar and we can only speculate. The rupee was artificially stagnant and we have to find a way around the market mechanism.”

“We have to see how we can increase our exports. When there is an increase in exports there will be an increase in foreign exchange,” he added.

Qureshi further said, “We received a pile of problems and are trying to solve them. We are facing problems and the nation will also have to face them too. We are trying that the burden is shifted to those who can take it.”