South Punjab Secretariat Ray of Hope for Neglected Region
Photo Credits: Dunya News
By Muhammad Atif Ismail
MULTAN, Sep 20 (APP): A culturally rich region, south Punjab always remained ignored in the past regarding provision of civic facilities and necessary infrastructure especially quality education, better healthcare, agriculture, sewerage and some other basic requirements of daily use.
The region comprises three divisions: Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur, with a population of almost 40 million. Due to backwardness, a sense of deprivation is observed among local people.
Local people always registered complaints of complete neglect and this situation led them to make demands for a separate province so that their issues should be resolved locally.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in its manifesto during Election 2018 promised to create a new province to facilitate the people. The PTI government lacked the required majority in the assembly for creation of South Punjab province. However, it took practical steps and announced the establishment of the South Punjab Secretariat.
Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Usman Buzdar, during his recent visit announced 500 Kanals South Punjab Secretariat at Mattital road Multan. Similarly, another building of the South Punjab Secretariat will be constructed in Bahawalpur. Eight departments including Law, Home Department, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Health, Police, Forest- Fisheries and Wildlife, and Agriculture will be set up in Multan.
However, the other eight departments Services & General Administration Department , Irrigation, Finance, Planning & Development , Board of Revenue, Livestock, Communication & Works , Local Government & Community Development will be established in Bahawalpur. According to official sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the both buildings of South Punjab Secretariat in near future. The official sources remarked , the designs of the both buildings of South Punjab Secretariat have been approved by the Punjab government.
Noted social figure and academician Ali Sukhanwar talking to APP stated that administrative arrangements are always beneficial. They offer job opportunities and improve living standards of local masses. About the South Punjab Secretariat, Ali Sukhanwar remarked that it was a very good initiative. Now, people will not move to Lahore for redressal of their issues. The South Punjab Secretariat will help resolve public problems at their threshold.
It will help save time and money of masses because the Secretariat will be easily accessible. Similarly, developments in infrastructure will improve automatically. New installations will also create job opportunities and facilities for the people. Zahida Hameed, the Chairperson of Society for Special Persons (SSP), a popular organisation of about 35,000 differently abled persons, told APP, “It is an appreciable step of the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf”.
She stated that Special Persons had to travel to Lahore, which was very difficult for them. Now, they would avail the facility locally. She pinned high hopes on the South Punjab Secretariat. She maintained that more special people would find job opportunities.
President Young Pakistanis Organization Naeem Iqbal Naeem also welcomed the establishment of South Punjab Secretariat. He observed that the secretariat would generate jobs for local youth.
It will also improve the confidence of local people. The new secretariat will facilitate people at their doorstep, Naeem remarked and also added that it was a practical step towards South Punjab Province. It would be very difficult for coming governments to reverse the move of the incumbent government because the step has immense popularity among the people of the region.
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