Lahore, December 29; At the PILDAT Public Policy Dialogue on South Punjab Rana Sana ullah Khan, MPA, Minister of law and Parliamentary Affairs Punjab acknowledged that while allocation of adequate development funds to South Punjab has been a problem in the past, after reviewing the discussion paper on South Punjab, the development share of South Punjab will be 35% in the upcoming budget 2011-2012.

Rana Sanaullah Khan, who thanked PILDAT on behalf of the Chief Minister and the Government of Punjab for undertaking an important research and disseminating it to policy makers, said that the leaders of South Punjab in the past have been unfaithful to their constituencies although they have been ruling Punjab and Pakistan. South Punjab should now elect a middle-class leadership, as the elite class has proved to be ruthless to its voters.

Opening the session, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director PILDAT, said that the PILDAT dialogue on South Punjab has been initiated so as to objectively analyse the reasons behind the grievances of South Punjab. PILDAT paper on Development Funds of South Punjab traces the allocation of development funds to the region and is available in English and Urdu. He gave details of the amount of allocations from 2003-2010. He also shared the amount of percentages of schools, hospital and the labour force employment in South Punjab. He said that PILDAT discussion paper has been prepared to generate a fact-based discourse on the issue.

Mr. Mohsin Khan Leghari, MPA lauded the efforts of PILDAT on the subject of South Punjab. He said that this discussion paper actually shows the treatment which the leadership has given to South Punjab over the years. Whatever we spend on and wherever we spend, it will show and we cannot hide it. We should see how we spend on Education and Health. The quality and quantity of education in South Punjab leaves a lot to be desired. A budget is a very strong instrument of any government and that that budget should be planned wisely. The figure of funds is always changed when it comes down from the federal level to the provincial level. The leadership of Punjab should not restrict its focus to Punjab only. He said that we should move forward, not look backward. Our focus should be that how we can address disparities of South Punjab. We should clear all these disparities in a democratic way and should be honest by keeping our party affiliations aside.

Mr. Khusro Bakhtiyar, Former State Minister of Foreign Affairs and former MNA from Rahim Yar Khan, said that South Punjab is desperate to get out of this disparity. This disparity can only be addressed if South Punjab can be formed into a new province. South Punjab lacks a resource centre at the time when the people of South Punjab have no one to facilitate them for their needs. South Punjab has one of the biggest mass of agriculture lands. But how can the poor farmers grow, if they do not get their water quota regularly? South Punjab should not be ignored because of the race or language. The people of South �Siraikees� are very loving people and they are very hospitable. He gave a recommendation that as the big cities grow, their tax rate should also increase. He also said that urban areas of South Punjab should be economically stronger and the people of South Punjab should be given their right of education, health and basic necessities.

Rana Afzal, MPA said that conditions are getting better in South Punjab. We cannot make the rural area into an urban area with the development, no matter how hard we invest. He said that certainly things need to be changed in South Punjab and we all should raise our demands peacefully in a way that the democratic system is not disturbed.

Mr. Muhammad Tariq Hotyana, MPA said that he belongs to and represents Bahawalnagar. Bahawalnagar lacks health facilities and the mortality rate is very high in his area. The Government should at least construct a hospital to facilitate its citizens.

Malik Muhammad Waris Kalo, MPA said that we should omit negativity in our way of thinking. Leaders have started shifting their responsibility to others. The leaders should be responsible as they have a heavy responsibility on its shoulders.

Sardar Athar Hassan Khan Gorchani, MPA said that the allocated fund is not seen on the grounds. He said the schemes of 2008 have not been developed or started even though they were in the budget. If we ask for a separate province, it is because we de not see our demands being fulfilled. If the province will be smaller, they will have greater nationalism.

Dr. Asma Mamdot, MPA said that the only solution to South Punjab backwardness is a new province. Human resource is a big problem in South Punjab. People do not see any governance in South Punjab. They do not see anyone who they can address their problems.

Following MPAs were present at the session: Mohammad Tariq Amin Hotyana (PPPP), Rana Ejaz Ahmed Noon (PPPP), Sardar Athar Hassan Khan Gorchani (PPPP), Ghulam Jaffar Sargana (PML), Mohsin Khan Leghari (PPPP), Abdul Hafeez Khan (PML-N), Rana Muhammad Arashad (PML-N), Mohammad Waris Kalo (PML-N), Ayesha Javed (PML), Dr. Zummurd Yasmin (PML-N), Amir Hayat Hiraj (PML), Rana Mohammad Saeed (PML-N), Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan (PML-N) and Dr. Aasma Mamdot (PM-F).