Complete autonomy for South Punjab Secretariat demanded

MULTAN: The National Labour Alliance (NLA) Monday demanded a complete autonomy of the South Punjab civil secretariat.

Talking to reporters, NLA chairman Ghazi Ahmed Hassan Khokhar said the weak South Punjab Civil Secretariat had affected the workers at public departments. He said the party was mulling launching an agitation to empower south Punjab civil secretariat. He criticised the government for lampooning the people of south Punjab and establishing a weak secretariat.

He alleged the south Punjab civil secretariat was handling only eight departments and the Bahawalpur secretariat would also accommodate only eight departments. He said currently the Punjab Civil Secretariat was handling 44 departments.

He said the south Punjab’s rich cultural heritage and traditions need special care and attention but the relevant Culture and Information Department is not decentralized in the south Punjab civil secretariat.

Khokhar said the south Punjab secretariat has become a powerless, helpless and mere a statue. All work is done at Lahore. Relief can be given to the people only by empowering the south Punjab secretariat, he maintained. He said the Prime Minister, the Punjab Chief Minister and Chief Secretary should issue orders for immediate transfer of powers.

He said due to some corrupt officials in the agriculture department, a crisis of fertiliser erupted in Punjab. The farmers are facing critical issues in getting cheap fertilisers. He demanded the government that due to rising inflation the salaries of the working classes are being increased marginally every year and it is necessary to increase the salaries of the workers and employees by 50 per cent.

He said unemployment allowance should be given instead of Ehsas program. Free plots of 5, 7, 10, 15 Marlas and one kanal should be given to the unemployed by establishing colonies on government lands. Housing should be provided to the residents of densely populated areas including Multan. Cities should be considered as places of entertainment.

He said if the south Punjab secretariat was not empowered, the PTI candidates would lose next election. Small Farmers Association president Rana Zia-ul-Haq and others also shared their comments on the powerlessness of the south Punjab civil secretariat.