ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary commission on new provinces on Saturday approved the constitutional draft for creating new province in Southern Punjab and recommended “Bahawalpur South Punjab” as its name, DawnNews reported.

Members of the commission signed the recommendations for amending the constitution in a meeting chaired by spokesman for the president Senator Farhatullah Babar.

The commission has suggested 49 National Assembly seats including 12 seats reserved for women in the new province. There will be 23 Senate seats while the provincial assembly will have 124 including 23 reserved seats for women.

A consensus has been evolved for Bahawalpur as the capital whereas provincial assembly will be situated in Multan.

The commission’s next meeting on Monday will finalise the recommendations while report regarding the new province is expected to be presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday.