BAHAWALPUR: A group of Down’s Syndrome children presented a peace flag to Mayor Aqeel Najam Hashmi on Tuesday.

The group is an initiative of a private trust.

According to the trust representative, their mission is to promote peace in the country and abroad. The group has visited 25 district headquarters and Bahawalpur was their 26th destination. The group will visit 112 districts. The mission began on Oct 15 from Jhelum and would culminate the journey on March 21 In Islamabad on the International Children Day.

The group demanded that the federal government and four provincial governments declare Down’s Syndrome the fifth disability, for whom special concessions may also be announced for their rehabilitation. The mayor in his speech appreciated the mission’s objectives and prayed for the promotion of peace in Pakistan.

CHEEMA: The support of Federal Housing Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema for the restoration of Bahawalpur province along with the move of the creation of South Punjab province is being welcomed by the local groups working for the Bahawalpur province creation.

The minister in a talk show on a TV channel stated he was the supporter of Bahawalpur province demand and if the government wanted to create the South Punjab province, they were at liberty but Bahawalpur province must be restored. He also said he would call on Prime Minister Imran Khan and would remind him of his speeches and statements where he himself favoured the Bahawalpur province.

Workers also demanded that Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi review his stance and spearhead the movement for restoration of Bahawalpur province. After joining the PTI before the July 25 elections, Mr Abbasi merged his Bahawalpur National Awami Party into PTI to secure a party ticket for his young son. However, his son lost as an independent candidate.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2018