BAHAWALPUR - Thanking President Asif Ali Zardari for sending reference on the formation of a parliamentary commission on new provinces after a unanimous resolution adopted by the Punjab Assembly, former federal minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has said it is a “victory” of the people of Bahawalpur.

“Bahawalpur will be the most prosperous province of the country in a few years after its restoration,” said Durrani said while speaking at a reception hosted for him by Sahibzada Abdul Qadir Abbasi. The former minister, who led the movement for restoration of Bahawalpur province, said: “The restoration of Bahawalpur province will bring about a change in the system of country as Rs17 billion is being spent on the Bahawalpur at present while it would get a Rs103 billion on account of the National Finance Commission Award alone.
He said the volume of Bahawalpur’s budget would be Rs125billion and 70 per cent of the budget would be spent on development while only 30 percent of the budget would be allocated for non-development expenditure. Only four ministers and eight secretaries would run all departments of the Bahawalpur province, which would be an Islamic welfare province, he said, adding that the official language of the province would be Urdu so that the children of the poor could also reach the upper echelons.
“The police, revenue, health and other government departments will be run under a new system. A uniform education system will be introduced across the province and education will be free. The agricultural, engineering and media universities will be established and new leadership will be introduced to run the new system,” he said. Durrani pointed out that the construction of Khanewal-Lodhran Expressway could not be started for three years despite release of grant by the World Bank while the establishment of the Bahawalpur Electric Supply Corporation and rescue service has also been halted. He said that no funds have been allocated in the budget for Chachran Bridge despite an announcement to this effect.
Speaking on the occasion, High Court Bar Association Bahawalpur President Muhammad Yahya Khan Baloch said the lawyers supported the restoration of the Bahawalpur province and they would soon invite Durrani to address the bar. Former Ahmedpur East Bar Association president Mian Muhammad Ameer said that the lawyer community would play an effective role for the cause. Malik Habibullah Bhutta lauded Durrani for raising voice for the cause, saying that the credit goes to Durrani.
Makhdoom Nasir Bukhari said that after the restoration of the Bahawalpur province, two new divisions, nine new districts and 30 new tehsils would be formed. Malik Bashir Bhutta, Abdul Qadir Abbasi, Shahid Hameed Rehman, Qari Moonish Baloch, Seth Shamsur Rehman and Muhammad Akram Ansari also addressed the gathering. Syed Mahmood Nawaz Gardezi, Malik Muhammad Qasim Khokhar, Nadeem Lashari, Khalid Mahmood Abbas, Abdur Razzaq Abbasi, Abdul Wakil and a large number of workers of the movement were present on the occasion.