ISLAMABAD - Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi yesterday promised that Multan will not be ignored in the new South Punjab set-up.

In a tweet, he said there will be a functional secretariat in Multan and additional chief secretaries will attend the office three days a week.

Qureshi said that the PTI-led government had made tangible progress in its manifesto commitments and will facilitate people of South Punjab at their doorsteps. Over the weekend, Additional Chief Secretary for South Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman said the South Punjab Secretariat was being made functional on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar's direction.

He said that the government was serious to establish a new province in the region. Secretaries of all departments including Finance and Power and Development would come to stay here along with requisite staff, he added.

Foreign Minister Qureshi had previously said the PTI government was serious on the creation of South Punjab province.“A bill to this effect will be presented before the parliament. The opposition parties should demonstrate open heartedness and support the government in fulfilling the demand of the people of this region,” he had said.

The Foreign Minister said it had been decided to make functional the South Punjab Secretariat in July.

One part of the secretariat will be established in Multan and one in Bahawalpur, he had explained recently.

Qureshi said that elected representatives of local region would decide about place for capital of South Punjab province. He said that there was a confusion that south Punjab’s secretariat was being made in Bahawalpur.“

It is not true. Elected representatives from South Punjab would decide the place for capital of the new province of south Punjab,” he remarked.

South Punjab is supported by the opposition parties too but they have reservations on backing the PTI on the legislation.