BAHAWALPUR: The groups demanding restoration of the Bahawalpur province are likely to form a united front to launch a joint struggle and gear up the movement to achieve their objective.

This was claimed in a joint press conference of Nawaz Naji, Akram Ansari, Majid Hashmi and other leaders of the movement for restoration of Bahawalpur province on Monday.

They claimed all the groups demanding the Bahawalpur province were in close consultation and a united group would emerge soon. The need for a joint platform was felt by various groups who had launched the campaign on their own. In this regard, they mentioned the names of Prince Salahuddin Abbasi, chief of Bahawalpur National Awami Party (BNAP), former Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani and MNA Tariq Cheema of PML-Q, they said.

Nawaz Naji claimed that after the month of Ramazan, a vigorous drive for the Bahawalpur province could be launched in three districts of the division.

Naji and others criticised those lawmakers belonging to Bahawalpur who had joined the Janoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz (JPSM), saying they had betrayed the people of Bahawalpur as they had been advocating the case of Bahawalpur province as well. However, the Bahawalpur province movement’s leaders had supported the demand for Janoobi Punjab province but not at the cost of their own demand for a separate province.

“Two resolutions (of restoration of Bahawalpur province and the creation of Janoobi Punjab province) passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2013 were lying pending with the government for implementation. It would be easier for the government to implement them while a new resolution for the creation of the Janoobi Punjab province (including three districts of Bahawalpur division of south Punjab) would be difficult for adoption for the new Punjab Assembly which might decline its passage,” Mr Naji said.

He said it was opportune time for the federal government to announce implementation on both resolutions of the Punjab Assembly that would be acceptable to people of both Bahawalpur and other parts of south Punjab.

DEMO: The Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf (PTI) held a demonstration against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his remarks about Mumbai attacks.

The PTI activists gathered at Farid Gate and staged a rally to condemn Nawaz.

Speakers demanded the army register a treason case against Nawaz for his attempt to undermine solidarity of the country.

Meanehile, a complaint has been filed against nawaz with the Cantonment police station.

Applicant Nasir Tanveer, who claims to be the chief coordinator of a non-government organisation (NGO), has demanded registration of a treason case against Nawaz.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2018