BAHAWALPUR, May 12: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced the PML-N like its resolution in the Punjab Assembly will now move a resolution in the National Assembly for the restoration of Bahawalpur province to pile pressure on the federal government for its restoration.

The chief minister was addressing a gathering of the people from all walks of life at the Circuit House here on Saturday.

He said the PML-N wanted to move a resolution in the NA to prove the nation to see who were speaking the truth and who were telling a lie on the issue of the restoration of Bahawalpur province.

Shahbaz said there should be no confusion in two separate resolutions passed by the Punjab Assembly on May 9.

He said the resolution on the revival of the Bahawalpur province was clear and asked the federal government to adopt constitutional procedure for its restoration.

The chief minister said the PA resolution did not incorporate the demand for the creation of any new province of Bahawalpur, but it demanded immediate restoration of Bahawalpur’s old province which was based on administrative, geographical, political, historical and constitutional facts.

He said Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the opposition leader in the NA, had demanded setting up of a commission for carving out new provinces of south Punjab, Hazara, Fata and others. He said the demand for setting up a commission did not relate to the restoration of Bahawalpur province.

Shahbaz said the PML-N was sincere with the people of Bahawalpur and the resolution was moved in the PA on the directions of party chief Nawaz Sharif.

The chief minister paid rich tributes to the late Nawab of Bahawalpur Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V and the first chief minister of Bahawalpur late Makhdumzada Syed Hasan Mahmood for their services rendered for the people of Bahawalpur.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the PML-N played its role for the revival of Bahawalpur province, and now it was the responsibility of the federal government to take measures for its restoration.

He said the PPP was not sincere with the local population and wanted to use it as an election stunt which the PML-N had made impossible for the PPP.

PML-N Vice-President Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar, PML-F Punjab President MPA Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood, MNA Baleeghur Rehman, Punjab Minister for Jail Malik Iqbal Channar and former parliamentary secretary Samiullah Chaudhry thanked the PML-N leadership for the adoption of Bahawalpur resolution.