MULTAN: South Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman says the government is working to transfer all the provincial powers to south Punjab and the secretariat in south Punjab is being established with all administrative powers.

Accompanied by Commissioner Shanul Haq and Deputy Commissioner Aamer Khattak, the ACS said that at present the offices were not available for the secretariat that’s why the respective departments would arrange the place for offices of their respective secretaries, additional secretaries and deputy secretaries till the permanent arrangements were made.

He said the secretariat would be established in Bahawalpur for which the land had already been identified while the camp office would be established in Multan for which the land was being identified. Most probably it would be established on a piece of land owned by the state on Matti Tal Road; however, the final decision in this regard would be taken by the chief minister.

He said if any department lacked the space to accommodate the officers of secretariat, buildings on rent would be hired so that the functioning of the secretariat could take place soon. He said he had observed that the people wanted the establishment of secretariat in Multan.

“It is totally a political decision and I have nothing to do with it; however, I will convey the feelings of the people to the chief minister,” he said. He said he would spend three days in Bahawalpur and three in Multan while Dera Ghazi Khan would also not be ignored.

He said soon the rules of business and terms of references would be defined and the secretariat would start its proper functioning and all the government related matters of the area would be done over here.

Meanwhile, Seraikistan Soba Mahaz rejected the government’s decision to establish a secretariat while saying the PTI’s promise was for a separate province not for a secretariat.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2020