‘ACS telling lies regarding establishment of SPAS in Bahawalpur’

MULTAN: Eight MPAs of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf from Multan led by Punjab Minister for Energy Dr Akhtar Malik has criticised the South Punjab additional chief secretary for telling lies regarding establishment of the permanent South Punjab Administrative Secretariat (SPAS) in Bahawalpur.

Addressing a press conference at the Multan Press Club on Tuesday, they said that no decision had ever been taken on setting up the secretariat in Bahawalpur. Punjab Minister for Energy Dr Akhtar Malik said that the place for setting up the secretariat had still not been finalised and the ACS was speaking lies in this connection. A high level meeting held in chair with Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to set up a temporary secretariat Multan and a camp office in Bahawalpur, he said, adding that it was also decided that the new elected assembly of the South Punjab province would decide the place for the capital of the new province.

The South Punjab Administrative Secretariat would work on a temporary basis till the creation of a separate province, the minister added. He said that 40 parliamentarians out of 59 had signed a resolution for the establishment of South Punjab Administrative Secretariat in Multan. The minister said that the PTI was fully committed regarding the creation of south Punjab province and the South Punjab Administrative Secretariat was a first step in this connection. Unfortunately, the PTI could not achieve two-thirds majority in the centre and the Punjab, which delayed the whole process, the minister added.

Dr Akhtar Malik rejected the social media campaigns against the PTI MPAs and MNAs on compromising over the establishment of SPAS in Bahawalpur.

The MPAs, who were present on the occasion, include Sabin Gul, Mahindar Pal, Malik Wasif Ran, Javed Akhtar Ansari, Nadeem Qureshi, Muhammad Zaheeruddin, Mian Tariq Abdullah, Malik Salim Labar and Wasim Khan Badozai.