PRIME Minister Imran Khan, on Friday, took an important decision that would go a long way in fulfilling aspirations of people of South Punjab in the backdrop of demand by some circles to create a separate province for the purpose. He promised a separate annual development programme for the region in the next budget. While appreciating the steps being taken for establishment of a separate secretariat for South Punjab, he directed the transfer of powers in a phased manner so that the administrative affairs could be run in a smooth and orderly manner.
The demand for creation of a new province is rooted in the argument that people of South Punjab are ignored in distribution of financial resources resulting into their economic woes and backwardness. An impartial analysis of annual developmental allocations for the area would belie this claim and also there was no justification for such allegations when those representing South Punjab have remained at important positions both at the Centre and in the province (the incumbent Chief Minister also hails from the region). They are mainly to be blamed for the plight of their people as no one prevented them from taking welfare measures or resolve problems of the masses. We have been doing politics over the issue of creation of a new province in Punjab and the motives were clearly to undermine the natural strength of the province as those demanding bifurcation of Punjab are deadly against a similar solution in Sindh, Balochistan and the KP despite popular demands for new provinces there. In this backdrop, the PTI Government has done well by focusing on the most viable options to address the so-called sense of deprivation of people of South Punjab. Arrangements are at advance stage to establish a Separate Secretariat for the region which means it would have its own administrative structure free from perceived interference from central or north Punjab. With the decision to make separate developmental allocations, the representatives of the area and the separate administrative machinery would be free to chalk out plans for progress and welfare of the people. Though parallel systems would surely increase administrative expenses, which is in sharp contrast to the policy of the Government to reduce non-developmental expenditure but satisfaction of the people is more important than any other consideration. Hopefully, the system being devised by PTI would prove to be a viable substitute to the demand for a separate province, an idea that is likely to remain unachievable due to lack of consensus.
