Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday invited parliamentary leaders to implement the formation of southern Punjab and make necessary constitutional amendments.
The foreign minister sent letters to Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for the purpose.
In the letter, Qureshi requested all major parties in parliament to extend necessary cooperation for the establishment of southern Punjab.
He said that making southern Punjab a separate province was a long-standing demand of the people of the region and a key component of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) manifesto. Qureshi said the main obstacle in fulfilling the aspirations of 35 million people was a constitutional amendment that requires a two-thirds majority in parliament.
“To remove this obstacle, I invite you. Pakistan should support PTI and play a historic role in making this initiative a reality keeping in view the future of 35 million people,” he said.
