BAHAWALPUR, Aug 13: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday fired a double salvo at the presidential camp, saying he was not afraid of the threats that had been conveyed to him, and supporting the creation of new provinces not just in Punjab but all over Pakistan.

Chief Minister Sharif said he was being threatened but he could not be intimidated. “Listen Mr Zardari! Threats do not scare me and I will continue to expose your corruption and plunder in the length and breadth of the province.”

The apparent context of his remarks was a warning issued by the interior ministry a few days ago, which said a militant group may be planning to target Mr Shahbaz Sharif.

In a pointed reference to the presidency, the chief minister said he knew the origins of these threats. He vowed to bring back the “Zardari billions” from foreign banks and to spend the money on public welfare projects.

The chief minister was here to inaugurate a flyover on Multan Road railway crossing at a cost of Rs670 million. After the opening he addressed a public meeting at the Small Industrial Estate in which he recalled PML-N President Nawaz Sharif had announced his support for carving out the provinces of Bahawalpur and Seraiki.

However, he questioned the singling out of Punjab for a division and said the PML-N was ready for the creation of as many new provinces in the country as were required on administrative grounds.

Pakistan, in his opinion, needed 10 new provinces that should be formed on administrative grounds. This proposal was in sync with the PML-N earlier response to the idea of a Seraiki province, which, the party says, has been raised by the PPP to get some political mileage.

He criticised those rulers of the country who belonged to Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur but failed to deliver according to the people's wishes.

Mr Sharif stressed on the need for a commission consisting of representatives of all the four provinces to examine the issue of new princes. The committee must take into account matters such as the available resources, including water, and NFC Award before taking any decision, he said.

Later, talking to reporters at the Bahawalpur Airport, the chief minister said Rs70 billion had been allocated this year for the development of southern Punjab.

Four more Danish schools, including one each in Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan, were under construction in addition to the three schools that are already functioning in the Bahawalpur division.

A 340-bed DHQ Hospital built at a cost of Rs3 billion would be completed by December, he said, while earlier in the day he directed the officials to add a cardiology wing to DHQ Hospital in Bahawalpur.