South Punjab Province Demand Returns as PPP Senator Presses Govt

ISLAMABAD: The long-running demand for a separate South Punjab province returned to the national spotlight on Wednesday after PPP Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan raised the issue during the Senate’s budget debate, arguing that administrative division had become necessary for a province as large as Punjab.

The demand emerged during a charged parliamentary session in which treasury and opposition senators exchanged sharp criticism over the federal budget, economic management, electricity costs and governance failures. Hassan used the debate to link South Punjab’s political grievances with development, employment and representation concerns.

The PPP senator said the southern belt could no longer remain dependent on Lahore for decisions affecting its future. He argued that the region needed its own province, institutions and financial share, including an industrial zone, a high court, universities for agriculture and information technology, and a separate allocation through the National Finance Commission framework.

Hassan also referred to the region’s history, saying Multan had held historical importance while Bahawalpur had supported Pakistan at the time of its creation. He said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had encouraged lawmakers from the area to continue pressing for provincial status, framing the demand as a political and developmental right rather than a symbolic slogan.

The session also saw criticism of the country’s power sector. Independent Senator Abdul Qadir from Balochistan alleged that independent power producers had influenced the reversal of the government’s solar policy and demanded a forensic audit of IPP agreements, saying capacity payments had become a crushing burden on consumers and the national economy.

PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali defended the government’s economic record and criticised the PTI’s handling of national affairs. He claimed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had stabilised the country during a difficult period and accused the previous PTI setup of mismanaging the economy, energy policy and security challenges.

The South Punjab question has resurfaced repeatedly over the years, especially during election cycles and budget debates. Political parties have often supported the demand in principle, but constitutional, administrative and political hurdles have kept the issue unresolved despite repeated promises, resolutions and legislative proposals.

The constitutional process for creating a new province requires broad parliamentary and provincial consensus, making the matter politically difficult. Any division of Punjab would affect representation, resource distribution, administrative boundaries and the balance of power within Pakistan’s federation.

For residents of South Punjab, the issue remains tied to public services, jobs, education, healthcare, infrastructure and distance from decision-making centres. Supporters say a separate province would bring governance closer to the people, while critics warn that new provinces must be built through careful planning rather than political pressure alone.

The next phase will depend on whether the PPP and other parties convert renewed parliamentary statements into a formal legislative push. Without cross-party consensus and a clear constitutional roadmap, the demand may again remain a powerful political slogan rather than an actionable reform.