PPP lawmaker Nazim Hussain Shah, who is convener of the south Punjab province movement, said all MNAs and senators from the south and adjoining areas were supporting the move. – File Photo

LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party has decided to table a resolution in the Punjab assembly next month seeking creation of a new province in the south of Punjab.

“We have taken all MPAs – PPP, PML-N and PML-Q – belonging to the south and adjacent Seraiki-speaking districts on board to present the resolution in the Punjab Assembly after Ramazan,” PPP lawmaker Nazim Hussain Shah, who is convener of the south Punjab province movement, told Dawn on Monday.

He said all MNAs and senators from the south and adjoining areas were supporting the move.

After Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif and PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain supported thecreation of new provinces, especially the Seraiki province, the south Punjab province movement gained momentum and its organisers see no ‘real hurdle’ in translating their ‘dream’ into reality.

Mr Shah, who belongs to Multan, rejected a perception that the PPP leadership wanted the movement to be geared up because the PML-N was not comfortable with the idea of Seraiki province.

“In fact it is the need of the hour as it is the people’s movement and now no one can stop it. The leadership has neither asked us nor stopped us from raising the voice for the new province,” he said.

Mr Shah hopes that the Seraiki-speaking districts of Mianwali, Jhang and Bhakkar, which are adjacent to the south will also join the movement. D.G. Khan, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sadiqabad, Vehari, Muzafarghar, Lodhran and Layyah comprise the southern part of Punjab.

While the PML-N has directed its members and supporters not to oppose the demand in public, it has advised them to speak about the development work their government is doing in these districts.

“We do not have any issue of new provinces provided they are not made on ethnic basis,” PML-N’s Aamir Saeed Ansari, a parliamentary secretary, said.

Mr Ansari who hails from Multan confirmed that most of the lawmakers belonging to the south were supporting the demand for the new province.

He said the Pakistan Muslim League-N would not be a “loser” if the south became a new province.

“We have been carrying out development work in southern districts and the work we did after last year’s flood is before everyone.

“With this I think we will make even better show in next elections,” Mr Ansari said.