BAHAWALPUR: No arrangements have so far been made for the establishment of the office of additional inspector general (AIG) here for the south Punjab Secretariat.

The AIG office would be a part of the South Punjab Secretariat, which the Punjab government intended to establish in Multan.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, during his recent visit here, had announced the establishment and functioning of the secretariat from July 1 with an office of additional chief secretary (ACS) in Multan and AIG in Bahawalpur.

The posting of 35 senior government officials for the secretariat in Multan and Bahawalpur was also announced and it was claimed that their selection had begun. But, locals complained that despite tall claims the Punjab government could not honour its commitments regarding the establishment and operation of the secretariat in both cities.

Local leaders Nazir Naji, Akram Ansari and others spearheading the movement for the restoration of Bahawalpur province have already rejected the government’s decision to set up a secretariat and instead reiterated their demand to restore Bahawalpur province.

PTI MNA Farooq Azam Malik and Federal Minister for Housing Tariq Cheema of the PML-Q stood for the demand for Bahawalpur province. However, former provincial minister Samiullah Chaudhry of the PTI favoured the South Punjab province.According to our staff reporterfrom Lahore, CM says the PTI government is going to fulfill its promise of establishing a mini secretariat in South Punjab that will help solve problems of local people at their doorsteps.

In a meeting with a delegation led by PTI south Punjab president Noor Khan Bhabha and general secretary Ali Raza Dareshak at chief minister’s secretariat on Monday, the chief minister said the south Punjab secretariat would be established in the next financial year. He said the posts of additional chief secretary and additional IG police had been sanctioned for the mini secretariat.

Our Multan correspondent said senior officials are not aware of posting of any official and office/building where the secretariat will work.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2020