Prime Minister Imran Khan has given the nod to a plan envisaging development of south Punjab as a separate “administrative zone” in the province with an all-powerful secretariat to tackle issues ranging from lack of resources to under-representation of the region’s populace in public sector jobs.
The premier, during his April 9 visit to Lahore, reportedly also gave his consent to amend the Punjab Civil Servants Act 1974 and to carry out necessary legislation to allow 32 per cent job quota for south Punjab — proportionate to the region’s population percentage in the province.
The south Punjab secretariats comprising 15 departments had been under criticism since their inception in September 2020 as the Punjab government had failed to give any transition plan and transfer the due administrative powers to the administrative secretaries posted there on a double-salary package. For south Punjab, the first additional chief secretary and additional inspector-general of police were appointed in June 2020.
