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New provinces: Standing Committee on Law approves 20th Amendment bill
Bill will now be presented in the National Assembly for approval.
Although lasting six days, the lower house remained in session for just 10 hours, according to Fafen study. PHOTO: APP/ FILE
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s standing committee on Law and Justice approved the bill calling for the 20th Amendment in the Constitution, Express News reported on Monday.
The bill will now be presented in the National Assembly for approval.
President Asif Ali Zardari has also summoned the session of the National Assembly on February 1.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had recently introduced a bill in the National Assembly calling for the creation of new provinces in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and tabled a 20th Amendment in the Constitution for the abrogation of Article 239.
Article 239(4) of the Constitution says that the provincial government’s consent is needed to make new provinces.
The 20th Amendment would also provide legal cover to over 28 members of parliament and provincial assemblies who were elected after the passage of the 18th amendment in April 2010.
Sindh nationalists had earlier protested against the bill terming it a “conspiracy” of dividing Sindh and held protests across the province.
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What difference will it make to the plight of common Pakistani regarding corruption, sectarian killings, gas electricity shortage, law and order, destruction of steel mill, PIA, Railways, rising costs. etc. etc…long live democracy, long live our elected members.
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If punjab and Pakhtunkhwa can be divided, then what is so sacred aboud sindh and Balochistan.
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People of Sindh will NEVER let it happen. We are one of the founding pillers of Pakistan and Sindh is NOT a colonized or occupied territory, we opted to be part of this federation, not for this day that any Tom, Dick and Harry plunder our resources and divide our land like a piece of cake. Due to such insane policies, Establishment failed in Bangladesh and now could not control the 5 Million Baloch nation, how they handle the wrath of 50 Million Sindhis. Please Dont push us to walls, and learn some lessons from Baluchistan and Bangladesh and respect our right over our land and resources. Any forced decision without our consent will not create any better environment for this federation.
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Dear Mehran
No one from Punjab or PKP is trying to divide Sindh. It is MQM, an ally of PPP, who is favouring the demand for the division of Punjab and PKP. 20 amendment gives this power to federal parliament to carve new provinces. MQM knows that at the centre almost every government will need their 25 votes, they will black mail them to carve out Jinnahpur, in next 5 years. If PPP can not protect sindh’s interests then your anger against unknown enemies of Sindh are misplaced. A Sindhi in the presidency what else you guys need to protect the current formation of the province.
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@ Mehran………………when mr. zardari was playing politics with division of punjab………..sindhis hould have sensed at that time that it would boomerang back to them.
making new provinces is not a bad idea in any case. sindh is not a sacred cow. so there should not be such kind of rehtoric against its impending but inevitable division.
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@sane voice:
Sindh is not sacred cow for you but for us, it is our motherland. We will go to last mile for the protection of her territorial integrity. About the division in Punjab, let the people of Punjab decide what ever they want about their province, because it is their internal matter but we will not accept any forced decision upon us. No one can impose their decision on us.
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@Mehran:
What are you crying about, the division is being done by a Sind based President and supported by a Sind based political party. the province of Punjab is silent and is willing to let the divsion happen so that the smaller provinces grievances are rectified and here you are with all your negative thinking regarding Sind and its rights.
And why do you have to bring Bangladesh in every issue? We lost Bengal again becuase of Sind based leader. Mr Bhutto.Recommend
@ mehran…………i will repeat again…..impending but inevitable division of sindh. it is the future. it cannot be changed. people of sindh should opt for good governance rather than mere rehtoric and oversentimental speeches. change is the only constant in this world, whether one accepts or not.
division of sindh or for that matter any other province should be for the sake of socio-economic and political development of the people living in that region whether they may belong to any ethnic group.
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My parents are Punjabi, but I was raised to be a Pakistani, and here is a statement I want to make:
If it satisfies the egos of petty nationalists in rural areas of other provinces I don’t mind making 15 provinces out of Punjab. The truth is that these macho commentators are now so blindly fooled by their narrow minded leaders that I would not be surprised that later on they hold a grudge against Punjabis for making many provinces out of Punjab and calling it a conspiracy to improve the living conditions of Punjabis and having many Chief Ministers who are Punjabi.Recommend
We need more provinces in Pakistan.
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provinces should be created wherever people demand for it whether it is in punjab,sindh,balochistan or kp. it has nothing to do with the consent of that particular provincial assembly because if suraiki people want separate province then no body else has the right to decide about that, same is the case with any other part of the country. provinces must be created on the demand of the people
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@mehran
if Sindh is your motherland, then Punjab is ours! we wont let it to be divided that easily!
dont defy the “Lahore resolution” by your sindh assembly passed pro-pak bill!
let me remind you..Punjab sacrificed half its land for joining Pakistan!
the world knows Punjab is the most prosperous province of Pakistan, no country cares of any other province specifically*.
division of Punjab and KPK is no issue..but division of Sindh is portrayed as the disintegration of Pakistan.Recommend
Benefits of more provinces:
More representatives of the voices of people in economicaly backward and forgottenareas
More evenly distribution of wealth & resources.
Securing Pakistan from future break-up by reducing the chances.
More local attention to development, law&order, taxing & funds processing.
Better chances for disapearing races & languages to promote their cause and many many more…
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@sane voice:
Remember it! No one stops you if you want to make the castles in the air. However, if Establishment and his cronies (PPP and MQM) are destined to treat our motherland Sindh as piece of cake and have evil designs against our land. We the founding pillars of federation have democratic right to fight back. A new Baluchistan in Sindh is waiting for you!
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@Punjabi:
Bro, pls dont take me wrong. I never said Punjab should be divided, I said, earlier (read above given comments), It is internal matter of people of Punjab. If you want to let it happen or not, it is your choice. I give my opinion about the sentiments of people in Sindh. We are totally against any attempt to disintegrate Sindh and we the people of Sindh will resist any such move with utmost opposition. We became part of this federation and we own it but it does not mean that other people impose their decision upon us and play with territorial integrity of Sindh.Wish sanity prevail and people respect our fundamental right over our historical land.
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Better Sindh joining back to India.
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We Pashtuns consider the division of Pashtun Pride Lands by the unconcerned people a conspiracy against Pakistan and Pashtuns. So all those who are involved in this gruesome act are not our friends. Our future relations with these people will be seen, evaluated and conducted in this context.
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