AHMEDPUR EAST - The demand for restoration of provincial status of Bahawalpur is 50 years old and the PTI leadership should take its allies into confidence before making decision regarding creation of "South Punjab" province, said Federal Minister for Housing and Works Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema.
"With respect to statistics, our demand will benefit a population of more than 15 million," PML-Q stalwart Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema expressed the views during an exclusive talk to The Nation at his residence here the other day. PML-Q Bahawalpur District President Syed Salahuddin Ahmed Jeelani and former City Nazim Ejaz Khan Baloch were also present on the occasion.
The federal minister said that Bahawalpur region has been was neglected in the past while Leghari, Khosas, Gillani, Qureshis, Khars and Gormani families not only ruled Punjab province but also enjoyed lucrative posts at federal level.
"Why all these ruling elite did not pay heed to the genuine demands of the masses of the South Punjab during their rule," he questioned. Ch Tariq Bashir Cheema disclosed that due to old existence of LHC Bench in Bahawalpur, the posts of one deputy attorney general (DAG) and four assistant attorney generals (AAGs) had been allocated for the lawyers of this region. "But, now the DAG is selected from Multan and three AAGs have been recruited from Rahim Yar Khan and one from Chishtian while Bahawalpur where High Court Bar Association based has been totally ignored in this respect," he pointed out.
The federal minister proposed a referendum on the issue of restoration of former Bahawalpur province, saying that supporters of old Bahawalpur province movement would accept its results. He declared that inhabitants of Bahawalpur region would not accept the hegemony of Multan after Lahore. He urged the PTI lawmakers, belonging to Bahawalpur region to raise their voice for the restoration of Bahawalpur province.
The federal minister recalled that two PTI MNAs, belonging to Bahawalpur district - Farooq Azam Malik and Samiul Hassan Gillani had contested 2013 general elections on the BNAP tickets but now they have tightened their lips on this burning issue.
Ch Tariq Bashir Cheema paid rich tribute to Prime Minister Imran Khan for the renewal of his pledge to curb corruption and termed it key reason behind poverty. He said Imran Khan is dedicated and honest leader whose core mission is public service.
"Under his leadership federal government is moving in the right direction," he asserted. Commenting on five million houses project, the minister said that Chinese, Emirates, Turkish, New Zealand and companies of other countries have shown interest in investing in the wonderful project which would be started soon.
The PML-Q leader said that Kartarpura corridor is a historic initiative of Premier Imran Khan which would help improve Pakistan-India relations. "Kartarpura corridor is a step towards bring hearts closer," he maintained. To a question, the federal minister said that Chaudhry Brothers are committed leaders, who would not part their ways with Premier Imran Khan as neither they betrayed Nawaz Sharif and Gen Musharraf. It is their history and long track record, he claimed.
He denied any meeting between Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Leader of opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, terming the news as fabricated and baseless.
Ehsan Sehar
