As a mere eight weeks remain before the expiration of the current government’s tenure, it was announced that a bill for the formation of Bahawalpur province will be introduced in the coming session of the parliament which is scheduled to start on Monday (today).
At the very end of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) tenure, the slogan of a South Punjab province − which previously had no support from either the Punjab Governor Makhdoom Ahmad Mehmood, nor former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani − is now a political jackpot for all.
A very vocal independent lawmaker on South Punjab issue, Senator Mohsin Khan Leghari said that the proposed plan to form only one Bahawalpur province, and for its headquarters to also be in the Bahawalpur city, is not acceptable for politicians of south Punjab. He said that if the government insists on the formation of a Bahawalpur province, at least its summer capital should be declared at Fort Munro, a hilly station of Dera Ghazi Khan division in south Punjab.
He said that politicians belonging to south Punjab, many of whom are, unfortunately, not a part of the parliamentary commission of new provinces, have decided to raise their voices against PPP’s proposed plan of a Bahawalpur province.
He said that for 250 weeks of their tenure, former premier Gilani remained silent on the issue of a South Punjab province. Now, keeping the approaching elections in view, the demand for the province has seen the light of day.
Leghari also raised questions on the composition and representation of members of the parliamentary commission on new provinces. He said that besides a few members representing South Punjab, the majority belonged to other provinces, who did not have any business to decide the fate of people of south Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2013.