MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Saturday said that south Punjab would have a separate annual development programme in the next provincial budget.
Addressing the annual general meeting of Emersonians – old students of the historic Emerson College – Qureshi said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was striving for the establishment of south Punjab province, however, amendments in the constitution and some legislation was required for the purpose.
“A civil secretariat would be introduced in Multan to resolve the problems of the locals,” he said, adding that senior officers would be posted at the secretariat and issues regarding transfers, postings, vacancies etc would be addressed locally.
The country is facing numerous challenges, including climate change, for which stringent efforts are needed to make Pakistan clean and green, Qureshi said. He urged the people to come forward and contribute in this regard.
The foreign minister also assured the gathering that all problems of the college would be resolved at the earliest.
Emersonians President Molvi Sultan Aalam and Vice President Dr Hameed Siddique shed light on the history of the college. They informed that former chief justice of Pakistan Tassaduqe Jillani and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also studied at the institution.
Speaking on the occasion, Government Emerson College Principal Muhammad Saleem apprised the foreign minister about different problems being faced by the college.
He said that over 9,000 students were enrolled at the institution that was facing an acute shortage of classrooms, teaching faculty and hostel facility for female students.
