Amraiz Khan
Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik has assigned the task of working on dividing Lahore into two units on an administrative basis to Commissioner Zulfiqar Ghuman.
The move came after the Punjab government gave a go-ahead to the plan. In this connection, the first formal closed-door meeting was held which deliberated upon different proposals.
A committee headed by the Board of Revenue senior member has been formed to decide the formula for revenue record and administrative division. The Lahore commissioner, CCPO, local government officials and others are the committee members.
In this regard, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar will attend a briefing on December 10. However, a final decision is conditional to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s approval who would be taken into confidence by Buzdar on the subject. Sources say the proposed new city planned across the Ravi River would also be part of Lahore. With these changes resulting in carving out two districts out of the existing one, the new administrative units will have two separate police chiefs.
Talking about the issue, Ghuman said they were studying Karachi as an example for materialising the task of bifurcating Lahore, adding that the final decision would be taken by Buzdar and Imran. It is worth noting that Karachi currently has six districts – South, West, East, Central, Korangi and Malir.
But the Sindh cabinet recently approved the move to increase the number to seven by carving Kemari district out of the existing West district – a move against which the MQM has moved the high court.
In order to ensure better administrative facilities to citizens, the Punjab government has decided to divide Lahore into two districts. For the purpose, the district administration has submitted a new administrative structure to the commissioner.
