Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), under a refined strategy to tackle the PPP-PML-Q nexus over the formation of new provinces, has demanded the revival of Bahawalpur as an independent province. According to the party sources privy to the new strategy, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)’s partner in the Punjab government, Pakistan Muslim League Zia (PML-Z) played a role in the demand for a separate Bahwalpur province that was submitted on Tuesday.
Per the details available to Pakistan Today, the resolution was submitted by Shahid Anjum of (PML-Z) from PP-284 (Bahawalnagar-VIII) in which he said that forming provinces on linguistic basis would harm the country. Talking to this scribe, he insisted on restoration of Bahawalpur province before establishing new provinces which was the demand of the people of Bahawalpur. The resolution stated that PML-Z was not against the Saraiki Province but revival of Bahawalpur province was the foremost right of local population. He said that slogan for creating new provinces along ethnic lines was a conspiracy that was affecting the attempt to make Bahawalpur a separate province.
He further said that Bahawalpur had a separate identification as an independent state even before the establishment of One Unit and its revival was mandatory. Sources further confided that the resolution was submitted against resolutions of new provinces by the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) and Pakistan People’s party (PPP) in the provincial assembly. It is notable here that just four days ago, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani during his visit at Circuit House, Bahawalpur said that the issue of Bahawalpur province would be resolved in consultation with local leaders and stakeholders and in accordance with public demand. He told the local people that a committee had been formed by President Asif Ali Zardari to look into the formation of new provinces and the final decision would be taken once the committee had submitted its recommendations. Earlier in June, Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi of Bahawalpur National Awami Party (BNAP) set September as a deadline to restore the provincial status of Bahawalpur and threatened to create chaos if his demand was not met.