BAHAWALPUR, Jan 22: Bahawalpur National Awami Party (BNAP) chief Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi has rejected Governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood’s proposal to include Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh districts in the Bahawalpur Division in case of its revival as a province.

Addressing a press conference at the residence of Farooq Azam Malik, BNAP president and former federal minister, here on Tuesday, Abbasi said his party had one-point agenda of restoration of Bahawalpur province. He expressed his surprise at the “change of stance by the governor”, adding that it was the “old scheme of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for a Seraiki province” and his party would not accept it.

Abbasi said it was a “political drama” and the people of Bahawalpur would not become part of it. He said Benazir Bhutto had promised with him in 2007 that she would revive the Bahawalpur province after becoming prime minister. He said any decision against people’s wishes would be resisted and he would not accept any office after restoration of the province.

He said he hoped that Sharifs would honour their commitment about restoration of Bahawalpur province and added that the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz had moved a resolution in the Punjab Assembly for this purpose. He said he was offered Punjab governor’s slot twice.