LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Monday said that creation of new provinces should only be based on administrative grounds and not on linguistic or ethnic, DawnNews reported.

Speaking while chairing the party’s consultative meeting in Model Town Lahore, he said the “Bahawalpur province” is deep-rooted aspiration of people of the area. However, he added that Punjab should only be divided according to resolution passed by the provincial assembly.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Chief Minister Punjab Shahabaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Important national issues like voter lists, limitations of constituencies and overall political situation of the country were consulted upon in the meeting.

During his speech, Nawaz Sharif said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was raising the slogan of dividing Punjab on political grounds, adding that division of the province based on pure abhorrence would not accepted at any cost.

He reiterated that creation of new provinces should only be based on administrative grounds instead of linguistic or ethnic.

Later speaking to media representatives after the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif said the party will table a resolution for Bahawalpur and Southern Punjab province in the provincial assembly. He said Bahawalpur will be the capital of the new province.

Assailing President Asif Ali Zardari, the chief minister asked, “Where was President Zardari when Southern Punjab was inundated during floods?”