Separate province: PPP decision step forward: minister

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Manzoor Wattoo said here on Saturday that separation of PPP of southern Punjab "is a step forward towards a separate province".

He was talking to media after meeting party general secretary Jehangir Badar.

The minister said that PPP would move resolution on declaring southern Punjab as a separate province at appropriate time. He said the timing is important to this effect, as a timely move could only avert opposition in the Punjab assembly. He said that whosoever would oppose the resolution would die politically.

He said the PPP had political differences with PML-N. However, the use of highly objectionable language by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif against President Zardari reflected political intolerance in PML-N, he added.