New administrative units: Gilani rejects Nawaz's proposal

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday rejected PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif's proposal of new administrative units, saying that people of Saraiki belt wanted a separate province. The prime minister was addressing a big gathering of people belonging to flood-hit communities after distributing keys of homes among affected women at newly-built Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Model Village in Sinawan here.
Gilani said Mian Nawaz Sharif had recently given a statement in which he proposed new administrative units in the country. "But we reject this offer," he added. He said, "Saraiki people are sober, kind-hearted and have a sweet language but it does not mean they do not know what they want. They do not compromise on principles. They hold their ground like I do whenever any problem arises."
He said separate province was the demand of the people of the South Punjab, a backward area, which lacked progress and there was a sense of deprivation.
Gilani saluted the people for showing resilience and courage while dealing with the difficulties and losses they faced during floods.
The government realised the sufferings of the people as the floods destroyed homes, schools, hospitals, roads, bridges and livelihoods, he added. He said the Pakistan People's Party was a movement and a mission and it had ideological workers who were unlike seasonable birds and could not be bought or cowed down. "I am Prime Minister of a party whose worker is committed and whose leaders Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto gave sacrifices, not for the post of prime minister but they fought for the rights of the people," he added.
He said PPP leaders were also given offers to leave the country but Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said he wanted to live in history and he was martyred for defending rights of the people. The poor people, labourers and farmers were attached to Peoples Party, he added.
He said the PPP struggled for restoration of democracy because of which one could see ministers, advisers and members of assemblies. "I am Prime Minister because of the foundation built on the sacrifices of martyrs," he added.
He said he was trustee of the legacy of martyrs and despite the fact that people had given the PPP mandate for five years, some people including media thought the government should go early. The PPP had millions of supporters and it was not in the government on the invitation of somebody, he said adding, "We will fulfil the mission of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto and I am sitting in their seat." "We will not act as cowards as we are trustees of courageous leaders," he added.
The prime minister said women were 51 percent of the population and under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), they were not only getting financial assistance but also free of cost identity cards to have more role in national affairs.
Under BISP, women would also get health insurance, business opportunities and one youngster of a family would get technical education, he said, adding 100,000 skilled jobs would be created in the new budget for youth. The prime minister ordered allocation of funds in the next Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for Muzaffargarh canal.
He directed the relevant authorities to ensure rebuilding of schools, hospitals, roads, bridges and embankments in Muzaffargarh according to the damage need assessment, done after the floods.
Gilani assured that jobs would be given to local people in organisations like PARCO, PSO and MEPCO.
The prime minister thanked the ambassadors and diplomats who were present there, for gracious contribution of their governments in mitigating the sufferings of people after floods of 2010 and 2011. He said Muzaffargarh was the most deserving area for foreign assistance as the people suffered a lot and the help would change destiny of the area.
Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Model Village has six-marla homes for poor, built with the co-operation of Bahria Town and foreign assistance. The federal government plans to provide houses to 35000 flood affectees. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan also spoke on the occasion and said that it was the fourth visit of the Prime Minister to this area which spoke for itself that how he was giving importance to the backward areas.
About the creation of Saraiki province‚ Hina said like other promises the PPP would also fulfil it. She said the creation of a new province would not only eliminate the sense of deprivation of the area but it would make the country stronger.
Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the prime minister had visited almost each and every village and town which had been hit by floods and was fulfilling his pledge to rehabilitate them quickly.
She said it was a big challenge but President Asif Ali Zardari and others worked tirelessly to involve all in this work of rehabilitation.
Minister for Textile Industry Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Senator Mrs Mohsin Qureshi, MNA Jamshed Dasti, MNA Fauzia Wahab and notables of the area attended the function.