National consensus required for new provinces: Pak PM

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday emphasized that the establishment of new provinces could only be done through national consensus.

Dialogue should be held over many issues, including the establishment of new provinces, Abbasi was quoted by the Express Tribune, as saying.

Abbasi made this remark while inaugurating the Multan-Shuja'abad section of the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5).

He was accompanied by the Governor of Punjab province, Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana, and the Minister for Water Resources, Javed Ali Shah.

Referring to the forthcoming general elections in Pakistan, he said that, "Only a representative government, elected by the people, will be capable of overcoming challenges confronting the nation."

The Sukkur-Multan Motorway is part of Karachi-Lahore Motorway project and is being constructed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It is 394 kilometers long and will cost around Rs294 billion.