South Punjab secretariat to be functional from July 1

LAHORE: Secretariat for the South Punjab province will be functional from July 1, reported have emerged.

As many as 38 departments, headed by the additional chief secretary, are expected to work under the secretariat’s roof. Each department will have its own special secretary looking after the department’s affairs. A smaller office will also be set-up at GOR-1 in Lahore.

The secretariat, which aims to resolve issues of the people from far-flung areas of the province, will likely to be set-up in Multan. Earlier, reports emerged that the disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Khan Tareen wants the secretariat in Lodhran. However, the final decision will be made by the premier Imran Khan himself.

Multan is considered as a feasible option by many in the ruling party as well as the National Assembly Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif. However, reportedly Tahir Bashir Cheema – chairman of the Executive Council on the Creation of the South Punjab province – is lobbying for the secretariat to be built in his hometown Bahawalpur.

Reportedly, working papers for the secretariat will be presented before the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in May, following which the construction will formally start.