BAHAWALPUR: Former federal minster and PML-N MNA Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada has expressed his reservations about the demand for restoration of Bahawalpur province.

Talking to the media in his constituency at Qaimpur, about 80km from here on Sunday, he said that before the establishment of the province its pros and cons must be taken into consideration.

He argued that it was prerequisite to examine problems that would appear as a result of the move as well as the resources for the generation of the funds to run its administrative affairs.

Mr Pirzada was rather concerned how the federal government, which was already crying over shortage of funds, would be able to provide funds for the new province. He criticised the federal government for ignoring the issue of NFC Award for provinces, saying the government should settle the matter with the provinces.

Riaz Pirzada criticised some of the local politicians for raising the issue of Bahawalpur province for their own objectives.

“Such politicians having dreams of being a governor or chief minister of the new province have started a meaningless debate.”

He, however, suggested deliberations on the Bahawalpur province issue by all the stakeholders in a meeting.

Mr Pirzada was critical of the poor performance of the government, saying the government had upset the masses with price hike.

“Now the movement against government would not be launched on the demand of any politician. It would be launched on the desire and insistence of the common man and such a movement would be successful.”

The PML-N leader said only such political parties would succeed in the next general election as would actively participate in this anti-government movement.

He said Mian Nawaz Sharif by instituting a case against Gen Musharraf for subverting the Constitution had blocked path of imposition of the martial law in the country for good.

He said it was a great favour the former prime minister had done to the country and the nation.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2019