ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government on Friday presented a constitutional amendment bill to the National Assembly speaker that sought the establishment of the South Punjab province, the Pakistani state media reported.
The southern Punjab region comprises three administrative divisions — Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. In total, the region has 11 districts, including Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalnagar.
Over the decades, people of southern Punjab, a relatively impoverished region as compared to districts in north and central Punjab, have complained of being neglected in the division of resources and called for greater autonomy.
Successive governments in Pakistan have supported the idea of the South Punjab province, but none could go ahead with the promise.
On Friday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who himself hails from Multan, presented the constitutional amendment bill for the establishment of the South Punjaba province to National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, the state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
“On the request of the foreign minister, the speaker directed to make the bill part of the agenda of the House on Monday,” the report read.
The establishment of the South Punjab province was part of the election manifesto of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and today, the government fulfilled yet another promise made with the people of South Punjab, the report quoted Qureshi as saying.
The development comes at a time when Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing a no-confidence move by the opposition and appears to be an attempt to ease pressure on him.
Earlier in the day, Speaker Qaiser adjourned a National Assembly session without taking up the no-trust motion after prayers were offered for a lawmaker who had passed away recently. The opposition filed the motion on March 8. The next session is now scheduled for Monday, March 28.
Speaking to media persons later, Qureshi asked opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), to support the constitutional amendment bill that envisaged the establishment of the South Punjab province.
This was a longstanding demand of the local people and it would further strengthen the federation of Pakistan, he added.
Pakistan government presents bill for establishment of South Punjab province
https://arab.news/nchxb
Pakistan government presents bill for establishment of South Punjab province
- The southern Punjab region comprises three administrative divisions, Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan
- Over the decades, South Punjab residents have complained of being neglected and demanded greater autonomy
Pakistan says Indian minister initiated handshake in Dhaka, first contact since May conflict
- Pakistan’s Ayaz Sadiq and India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met on the sidelines of Khaleda Zia’s funeral
- The National Assembly of Pakistan says Islamabad has consistently emphasized dialogue with New Delhi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Wednesday Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar initiated a brief handshake with Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka, marking the first high-level contact between the two nuclear-armed rivals since their military conflict in May.
The encounter took place on the sidelines of the funeral of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia, attended by senior officials and diplomats from multiple countries.
Ties between India and Pakistan have remained frozen since a four-day military confrontation in May, during which both sides exchanged missile, drone and air strikes before a ceasefire brokered by Washington.
“During Speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s visit to the Parliament of Bangladesh ... the Indian External Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar approached the Speaker National Assembly and [shook] hands,” Pakistan’s National Assembly said in a post on social media platform X.
It added that Jaishankar introduced himself to Sadiq during the brief interaction. India has not commented publicly on the exchange.
“It is noteworthy that Pakistan has consistently emphasized dialogue, restraint, and cooperative measures, including proposals for peace talks,” the post continued.
Tensions between the two neighbors escalated in April after a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed more than 20 tourists. New Delhi blamed Pakistan for supporting the attack, an allegation Islamabad denied, calling instead for an independent and transparent investigation.
Officials from both countries have largely avoided public interactions since the conflict, with senior figures refraining from handshakes or exchanges at international gatherings.
Sadiq was in Dhaka to attend Zia’s funeral and to convey condolences from Pakistan’s leadership and people. He also met Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, according to Pakistan’s high commission in Bangladesh.
Speaking to Pakistan’s Geo TV, Sadiq confirmed that Jaishankar approached him in full media glare and exchanged pleasantries.
Responding to a question about being photographed with the Indian minister, he said: “Cameras arrived with them. Our people took the photographs later.”
