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MULTAN: President Asif Zardari on Friday reiterated the commitment of the government to continue working for socio-economic welfare of the people of southern Punjab and to plead the case of creation of a separate province as per their aspirations.
He was interacting with parliamentarians and notables of the southern Punjab at the residence of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani during his visit to Multan. President Zardari said during the meeting that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not have the required majority to make a Seraiki province.
The president was accompanied by federal ministers and parliamentarians, including Makhdoom Amin Faheem, Syed Khursheed Shah, Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo and Nazar Gondal among others.
The president was received by Yusuf Raza Gilani, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Syed Ali Musa Gilani, Abdul Qadir Gilani and other notables of the area upon his arrival at the Multan airport.
By visiting the residence of former premier in Multan, President Zardari managed to win him back and remove all the reservations of the Gilani family. He also held a one-on-one meeting with Yusuf Raza Gilani to address his grievances. They discussed the FIA notices issued to the Gilani family. The FIA had summoned Yusuf Raza Gilani and his son MNA Abdul Qadir Gilani on Nov 16. They also discussed probable PPP candidates in southern Punjab.
However, Gilani proposed tabling a bill in the National Assembly for the establishment of southern Punjab as a separate province. He assured the president that if a bill was presented in parliament for the formation of a Seraiki province, several members of the Pakistan Muslim League-N would vote for it.
Gilani said he was punished for supporting the Seraiki province. He said he would even meet people at the union council level for the establishment of the province. Subsidies to the southern Punjab farmers on bills of agriculture tubewells was also demanded. The president said if the suggestions were applicable, then it would be implemented.
The president said the government was committed to bringing less developed areas on par with other parts of the country. He said the government would continue making every effort for socio-economic and political development of the people of southern Punjab. He said the government believed in respecting the legitimate aspirations of the people of southern Punjab and efforts would continue in meeting the commitments made by the government with the people of the Seraiki belt.
The president said the democratic government had to its credit many achievements including successes in the fight against the militancy, granting provincial autonomy, bringing in 18th, 19th, and 20th constitutional amendments, the NFC Award and introduction of Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package.
He said besides the government was also pursuing and strengthening the process of reconciliation, launching of the Benazir Income Support Programme, giving share to workers in state-run enterprises, giving identity to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and legislating to protect women from all sorts of exploitation.
He said it was a matter of great satisfaction to note that the flagship programme of the government, the BISP, was effectively reaching out to the people in all parts of the country, especially less-developed areas regardless of any considerations whatsoever.
The president said the development programmes undertaken by the present government in southern Punjab would bring greater economic prosperity and create jobs for the youth of the area. He called upon the parliamentarians and political leaders of the area to reach out to the people to highlight their issues for redressal and also to sensitise them for greater participation in the political process.
The parliamentarians and notables of the region appreciated the president for his visit and apprised him of the problems facing the people. Later, the president left for Islamabad.
PPP lacks majority to make Seraiki province, says Zardari - thenews.com.pk
He was interacting with parliamentarians and notables of the southern Punjab at the residence of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani during his visit to Multan. President Zardari said during the meeting that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not have the required majority to make a Seraiki province.
The president was accompanied by federal ministers and parliamentarians, including Makhdoom Amin Faheem, Syed Khursheed Shah, Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo and Nazar Gondal among others.
The president was received by Yusuf Raza Gilani, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Syed Ali Musa Gilani, Abdul Qadir Gilani and other notables of the area upon his arrival at the Multan airport.
By visiting the residence of former premier in Multan, President Zardari managed to win him back and remove all the reservations of the Gilani family. He also held a one-on-one meeting with Yusuf Raza Gilani to address his grievances. They discussed the FIA notices issued to the Gilani family. The FIA had summoned Yusuf Raza Gilani and his son MNA Abdul Qadir Gilani on Nov 16. They also discussed probable PPP candidates in southern Punjab.
However, Gilani proposed tabling a bill in the National Assembly for the establishment of southern Punjab as a separate province. He assured the president that if a bill was presented in parliament for the formation of a Seraiki province, several members of the Pakistan Muslim League-N would vote for it.
Gilani said he was punished for supporting the Seraiki province. He said he would even meet people at the union council level for the establishment of the province. Subsidies to the southern Punjab farmers on bills of agriculture tubewells was also demanded. The president said if the suggestions were applicable, then it would be implemented.
The president said the government was committed to bringing less developed areas on par with other parts of the country. He said the government would continue making every effort for socio-economic and political development of the people of southern Punjab. He said the government believed in respecting the legitimate aspirations of the people of southern Punjab and efforts would continue in meeting the commitments made by the government with the people of the Seraiki belt.
The president said the democratic government had to its credit many achievements including successes in the fight against the militancy, granting provincial autonomy, bringing in 18th, 19th, and 20th constitutional amendments, the NFC Award and introduction of Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan package.
He said besides the government was also pursuing and strengthening the process of reconciliation, launching of the Benazir Income Support Programme, giving share to workers in state-run enterprises, giving identity to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and legislating to protect women from all sorts of exploitation.
He said it was a matter of great satisfaction to note that the flagship programme of the government, the BISP, was effectively reaching out to the people in all parts of the country, especially less-developed areas regardless of any considerations whatsoever.
The president said the development programmes undertaken by the present government in southern Punjab would bring greater economic prosperity and create jobs for the youth of the area. He called upon the parliamentarians and political leaders of the area to reach out to the people to highlight their issues for redressal and also to sensitise them for greater participation in the political process.
The parliamentarians and notables of the region appreciated the president for his visit and apprised him of the problems facing the people. Later, the president left for Islamabad.
PPP lacks majority to make Seraiki province, says Zardari - thenews.com.pk
