PM orders secretariat for S Punjab by July 2019

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday instructed the Punjab chief minister to establish and make operational the Administrative Secretariat for south Punjab by 2019. He also sought measures for allocation of extra resources to end disparity in the region and a sense of deprivation among the area people.

The instructions were issued by the prime minister at a briefing given by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, along with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Provincial Finance Minister Makhdoom Jawan Bakhat Hashim – the three empowered elected representatives of south Punjab.

The briefing was delayed as the Punjab leadership was unable to complete work on south Punjab province due to which it was not announced in the first 100 days accomplishments of the PTI. The Punjab government prepared the presentation on South Punjab which was presented by the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms.

However, the issue of required number of votes in both houses of the parliament – National Assembly & Senate – was also discussed in the meeting for which PTI will require support from other political parties. The federal minister pointed out in the presentation that the government would require two-thirds majority in National Assembly, Senate and Provincial Assembly of Punjab for passage of constitutional amendment bill for creation of new province.

The trio elected representatives of south Punjab termed creation of administrative secretariat for south Punjab a transition towards Naya Pakistan. It was further proposed that Prime Minister Imran Khan should announce a special development package to initiate equalisation of south Punjab with North Punjab for five years.

Similarly, key administrative departments and special institutions to be relocated to south Punjab from July 1, 2019. Additionally, increase in job quota for south Punjab to 35 per cent at provincial level for all positions.

The proposed plan of the administrative setup is creation of administrative secretariat in south Punjab, Punjab police headquarters south Punjab and office of ACS for supervision, implementation and coordination. It is proposed that fully powered special secretaries would be appointed to the administrative secretariat of south Punjab including Planning and Development, finance, home, agriculture, local government and community development, Board of Revenue, school education, and higher education, primary health, specialised health, forest, livestock and dairy development, communication and works, irrigation and housing urban development and public health engineering departments. Besides, a Provincial Development Working Party for South Punjab and South Punjab Public Service Commission should also be established by July 1, 2019.

The three empowered elected representatives of south Punjab suggested to the PM to announce a PM special assistance package for regional equalisation with allocation for south Punjab to address disparities and deprivations.