ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Friday said creating separate province was part of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) nation-building process and it would further strengthen the Federation.

Talking to a delegation comprising notables and parliamentarians from Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar here at the Presidency, the President said the new province would help address the issues of fair distribution of resources.

He said it would also create economic opportunities, legislative and administrative empowerment and other issues of major concern to the people of South Punjab.

The President said that the party took the first concrete step with the help of its allies, tabling and adopting a resolution in the Lower House of the Parliament.

He said he looks forward to early constitution of the Commission that would look into the issues of the creation of separate province and to initiate the process of amendments in the Constitution.

He called upon the parliamentarians and notables to go to the masses and put the issue of South Punjab in the correct perspective as the creation of a separate province was not aimed against anyone but was part of the nation building process of the PPP.

The President reiterated that Pakistan Peoples Party was an egalitarian party which believed in the nation-building process and not merely in the politics of sloganeering for getting votes.

He said the PPP was sincere with the people of South Punjab and that is why it promised separate province to them keeping in view their aspirations and legitimate demands.

He said that the PPP  will continue making all efforts to fulfill its promise during its current tenure.

The participants also spoke on host of issues with special reference to the issues being faced by the people of Southern Punjab including the prevailing energy crisis.

They also brought to the attention of the President various developmental issues of their areas.

The President said the government was making every effort to ease the situation with regards to the power shortage.

He said that with necessary financial arrangements having been made for meeting the fuel requirements and rising water level in the reservoirs, it was expected that the situation would improve soon.