LAYYAH: The committee constituted by the chief minister to finalise the proposal for establishment of a new administrative division in south Punjab has recommended Layyah as new divisional headquarters and elevation of Kot Addu to district.

On the recommendation of the elected representatives concerned of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the chief minister had constituted a committee to finalise the proposal for establishment of a new administrative division in southern Punjab on Nov 12, 2013, under the chairmanship of Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan.

The other members of the committee included Board of Revenue senior member, local government secretary, commissioners of Sargodha and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions and elected representatives (of the both divisions).

In the first meeting held on Dec 10, 2013, the proposal for the new division consisting of Layyah, Bhakkar and Mianwali districts was presented which was opposed by the elected representatives of Mianwali district who wanted to remain a part of Sargodha division.

The committee again met on Dec 30 and a new proposal was submitted envisaging Kot Addu (presently part of Muzaffargarh district) as new district and Layyah as its divisional headquarters. It also recommended that Bhakkar district be made part of the proposed division.

The proposal was discussed at length and it was decided that views of elected representatives of Muzzafargarh and its neighbouring districts, including Jhang, Bhakkar and Layyah, be also sought on the proposal.

A new district of Kot Addu was being established consisting of Kot Addu, Sinawan and Rangpur areas of Muzzafargarh district which will be part of the new division comprising Layyah and Bhakhar district, says Maher Ijaz Ahmad Achlana, a member of the Punjab Assembly, who is also a member of the committee.

The proposed district of Kot Addu will have an area of 3,230 square kilometres with a population of 3,956,276.

Meanwhile, a handout issued on Sunday said another proposal for granting status of division to Jhang district and including Mandi Bahauddin in Sargodha division instead of Gujranwala division was also considered by the committee.

But, due to a difference of opinion on the issue among concerned elected representatives, it was decided to send the both proposals to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for a final decision.

Rana Mashhood presided over a meeting in the Punjab Assembly committee room with the parliamentarians concerned and the DCOs of Sargodha, Jhang, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Mandi Bahauddin and Layyah on Sunday to decide the headquarters of the new division.

The meeting declared the proposal for declaring Layyah as new divisional headquarters more practical.

It also considered inclusion of Rangpur Janoobi village of Muzaffargarh district in the new division.

According to the second proposal, Bhakkar city can be made divisional headquarters by including Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Addu, part of Noorpur Thal and some area of Athara Hazari tehsil in the new division.

The elected representatives of Kot Addu tehsil opposed the proposal for granting status of divisional headquarters to Bhakkar, arguing that Bhakkar was 200 kilometres away from Kot Addu.

Similarly, the elected representatives of Jhang district unanimously argued if Athara Hazari tehsil was included in the new division, the direct link between Ahmedpur Sial tehsil and Jhang would be snapped.

The elected representatives of Mianwali district wanted to remain a part of Sargodha division.

Rana Mashhood told the meeting Bhakkar, Layyah and other areas of Thal desert were considered backward and the new administrative arrangement was aimed at bringing these areas on a par with the developed areas of the province.