In a surprise move, PTI govt presents bill on ‘South Punjab’ in NA

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Friday, presented a Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2022 to National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser for establishment of South Punjab province.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri was also present on this occasion. The foreign minister requested the National Assembly speaker to make the bill part of the business of the house on the next sitting of the session on Monday.

After submitting the bill in the Speaker’s office, Foreign Minister Qureshi said while talking to media that the establishment of South Punjab province was part of election manifesto of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

He said he presented the Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2022 to the speaker National Assembly on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said, “today we have fulfilled yet another promise made with the people of South Punjab.”

The foreign minister said the PTI was the first government which had made serious efforts for the establishment of South Punjab province.

PM Imran announces Rs500 billion package for south Punjab

He said it was the first time in the country’s history that a separate annual development plan was given to South Punjab.

Responding to a question, Qureshi said the opposition’s no-confidence motion against the prime minister would face defeat. He said, “we will face their motion in a democratic, constitutional, and political manner.”

He said he was greatly thankful to the party members who worked really hard to make that bill possible.

The minister said when he showed that bill to the prime minister, he approved it and ordered to get that bill passed from the National Assembly.

He also requested all the opposition parties to come and vote for the bill as, “they also have gained votes on South Punjab province on issue of carving out of the province”.

The South Punjab province – proposed to comprise three divisions – will have 56 seats of the National Assembly and the new provincial assembly will have 119 seats, according to the draft bill moved to create the fifth province of Pakistan.

The Ministry of Law and Justice on Thursday circulated the Constitution Amendment Bill, 2022 for the approval of the federal cabinet for the creation of a separate new province comprising Multan, Bahawalpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions called South Punjab.