BAHAWALPUR: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said all political parties should sit together and decide on calls for formation of new provinces.
“Separate provinces should be formed only after the consensus of all political parties,” PM Abbasi said while addressing an inauguration ceremony in Bahawalpur. PM Abbasi inaugurated a forty-five kilometer Jalalpur Pirwala-Uch Sharif road section near Bahawalpur today.
Referring to the move by more than half a dozen lawmakers belonging to south Punjab to quit the ruling party and struggle for the creation of a separate province, the premier said, “I read news articles about five to six people holding a press conference and demanding a separate province for South Punjab.”
“I know those people, they are my friends but they did not need to hold a presser,” he continued.
The premier said, “They were members of the assembly for five years and should have raised the issue there.”
He continued, “All parties should sit after the elections in July and decide whether new provinces need to be made and if there is agreement then we can take this forward.”
“There are similar demands for separate provinces in KP, Sindh and Balochistan.”
PM Abbasi further said, “Problems are not solved by raising issues in press conferences. Instead we should facilitate the nation by solving problems.”
He further questioned, “Why is it that these lawmakers remained in PML-N for five years and are only leaving two months before elections?”
“The politics of horse trading has ended,” he maintained.
Stating that the nation “does not like those who switch loyalties”, PM Abbasi said, “You will learn what the nation thinks of you during the July elections.”
The premier further said political decisions should be made in polling stations and not courts.
“It is not a good tradition for courts to make judgements on politics. Political decisions should be made in polling stations,” he upheld.
Stating that Pakistan will continue to be run on democratic principles, the premier said, “Results of general elections 2018 in July will be in favour of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.”
“PML-N will complete its term and develop Pakistan,” he added.
“The government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is the only one that starts and completes projects,” he added.
PML-N government completed incomplete projects, the premier further said.
Taking a hit at former presidents General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari, the premier said, “Only those governments face hurdles who work for the people. Musharraf faced no problems and neither did Zardari because they did nothing for people.”
Further speaking about the development projects undertaken by the ruling PML-N, PM Abbasi said, “Look at what Imran Khan has done in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Zardari in Sindh. The differences are clear and visible in the work done in Punjab and other provinces.”
“It is not that other political parties do not have the power to work, they have their governments in Sindh and KP but they are not doing anything,” he added.
Stating that only the PML-N can be credited for development in South Punjab, the premier said, “The party constructed roads, hospitals, universities, colleges, motorways and initiated electricity projects in the area.”
“Challenges are present but only a party loyal to the country can complete development projects,” he said. “People who hurl abuses can’t bring about progress,” the premier added.
The rehabilitation and up-gradation of the Jalalpur Pirwala-Uch Sharif section of National Highway near Bahawalpur has been completed at a cost of Rs2.5 billion.
The project after completion will connect four districts of South Punjab namely Bahawalpur, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Muzaffargarh.
