Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
For better administration its necessary to create more provinces within Pakistan, but the language both the Prime minister and president are using for the creation I am fearful of creating frictions in the people living in the area and resulting in bloodshed. If the government is serious in the matter they need to consult all the stake holders (including PMLN) and divide the province in a proper way to avoid any frictions. There should be a Bahawalpur province as well, in addition to the Seraiki province (what the government doesnt want or have a debate on).
PRESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari in his first visit to Southern Punjab has spoken of creation of Seraiki province during the tenure of the incumbent government and asked the Prime Minister to consult all political parties for preparing a framework to make the new province a reality. The President told a delegation of People’s Lawyers Forum that creation of Seraiki province was not politics but meant to respect and honour the aspiration of people of South Punjab who have been feeling deprived of their just rights for the last over 60 years.
**At the same time Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani while addressing a public meeting in Muzaffargarh said that Takhte Lahore was plotting against the government due to its plan to create Seraiki Province. No one opposes the creation of smaller administrative units but the way the PPP is politicising the Seraiki province issue is certainly aimed at reaping political advantage ahead of general elections in order to divide Punjab, the power base of Takhte Lahore.
Seraiki speaking people have a vast majority and they live not only in Southern Punjab but also in adjoining areas of KPK and Sindh and we support the creation of their own Province in line with their aspirations.
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But we would point out that there are also demands of people from other areas for their separate provinces including Hazara as well as Balochistan and the issue should be considered in totality rather than going for piecemeal measures.
The spirit of devolution demands that manageable administrative units are created without adding much burden on the national exchequer. Though under the last NFC Award, provinces have been given greater share in resources but when new provinces would be created, this share would be further divided and most of the resources would be utilized on the salaries and other expenses of the Governors, Chief Ministers, Ministers and new departments and very little or no resources would be left for development and social welfare.
Therefore all the pros and cons must be kept in view before going for new provinces rather than the sole criteria of gaining political advantage.
**LAHORE, April 14: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has criticised President Asif Zardari’s statement on creation of a Seraiki province terming it ‘unbecoming of a head of state’.
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President Zardari had told Pakistan People’s Party leaders in Multan on Saturday the new province would be carved out of Punjab during this tenure of the PPP-led government as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani would formally announce the decision.
**PML-N media coordinator Muhammad Mehdi regretted that the president was ‘transgressing all constitutional and moral lines’ as provinces were not created through statements.
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He said the party had no objection to creation of new provinces if created in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Constitution.
**“If the PPP was serious in creating new federating units it should get the proposition passed by the bicameral parliament as well as taking onboard other stakeholders, especially the proponents of Bahawalpur and Thal provinces,” Mr Mehdi said.
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He made it clear that his party would not support any suggestion with regard to creation of new provinces which contradicted the Constitution.
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
Great opportunity for people of Bahawalpur .
All parties are supporting their demand for restoration of Bahawalpur province in response to the PPP's call for Saraiki province .
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
^^ I agree, we cannot restore Bahawalpur alone, because if the revoke the administrative order, then Khairpur State gets back in business as well half of the Balochistan along with it... which is something not easy if not impossible, and i am for the administrative units as you have mentioned but along with that, i want these administrative units to have status of provinces with their own elected people
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
^^ I agree, we cannot restore Bahawalpur alone, because if the revoke the administrative order, then Khairpur State gets back in business as well half of the Balochistan along with it... which is something not easy if not impossible, and i am for the administrative units as you have mentioned but along with that, i want these administrative units to have status of provinces with their own elected people
I have written that these divisions/Sub-province should work with 50% sharing for a period with provinces than they should have right to decide about their future within their provincial assembly .Every thing should not be made a national issue .
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
I have written that these divisions/Sub-province should work with 50% sharing for a period with provinces than they should have right to decide about their future within their provincial assembly .Every thing should not be made a national issue .
I don't think this 50% sharing idea is do able, because no body like to share power... thing is, make provinces/administrative units and let the representative of the people do the work in that particular area... having this mixture where the admin unit have to share 50% with the provincial capital and then there is federal head as well will create more complexities then we have today..
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
I don't think this 50% sharing idea is do able, because no body like to share power... thing is, make provinces/administrative units and let the representative of the people do the work in that particular area... having this mixture where the admin unit have to share 50% with the provincial capital and then there is federal head as well will create more complexities then we have today..
You may be right but it could be more better by experts .After 18th amendment the situation is actually changed . These units can be given more from federal pool like distribution of electric .
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
You may be right but it could be more better by experts .After 18th amendment the situation is actually changed . These units can be given more from federal pool like distribution of electric .
So what will be the role of Provincial govt??? remember the current setup couldn't tolerate the power of Nazims and have wrapped the system....
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
There was a political move by Gailani .
He offered the Bahawalpur leaders to make Bahawalpur the capital of Saraiki province , He also offered them to give name of Bahawalpur to Saraiki province . This move could not bring the rquired resut ,
Here is the reply .
For those who can not read Urdu, They denied and said that only proposed assembly of Bahawalpur can decide about this .
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
If the government is interested in dividing the current provinces into smaller units I think the only way is to constitute a think tank which needs to device the process of carving the new provinces keeping in view the pros and cons of their division. This process can take a few years to complete but then the provinces that will be formed will be ideal.
Re: New Provinces : Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
There is an old demand about this but the population is mostly Saraiki speaking and they don’t want the same .
Demand of restoration of Bahawalpur province is now almost recognized now by every part and group .
These political moves about new provinces are mostly pushed for achieving political gains and there is no serious act .
Two threads on topic of new provinces . Division of Sind : New provinces
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari sent a reference to Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza late Thursday night calling for the constitution of a commission comprising six Senators, six MNAs and two members from the Provincial Assembly of Punjab to look into the issues relating to the creation of two new provinces namely Multan and Bahawalpur in Punjab and to initiate the process of amendments in the Constitution for this purpose.
**Remember this world ‘Multan Province’ was used first time in the history of Pakistan at this forum for a new province .
Re: New Provinces ; Bahawalpur, Multan and Hazarah
Thats not historically correct, hazara and most of Punjab have always been part of the same civilizations with Afghanistan and khyber pakhtunkhwa. Check any empire of the past and you will see what I mean, including ranjit Singh. Go as far as gandhara civilization and you can see the traces in taxila, swat, peshawer and bamiyan etc in Afghanistan. Fair enough if they want to become a province but history has got nothing to do with it.
