National Assembly: New provinces create ruckus again

Rehman Malik orders probe into allegations that MNAs carry weapons to session.

ISLAMABAD:

When the clamour for the creation of new provinces becomes a little louder, National Assembly proceedings, inevitably, tend to veer in another direction.

After being eclipsed by the 20th amendment, the demand for new provinces hit the National Assembly again on Tuesday – but died down immediately after members from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) opposed two separate bills seeking new units.

The bills came from within party and coalition ranks – Riaz Fatyana from Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Khurram Jahangir Wattoo from the PPP had separately proposed amendments.

Fatyana’s bill envisions Punjab being divided into three units: Punjab, Central Punjab and Southern Punjab, in order to improve governance and administration. He also called, controversially, for the ‘inclusion of District Dera Ismail Khan’ of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) in Southern Punjab, citing ‘cultural and geographical continuity’.

Referring to Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s famous 14 points, Fatyana pointed out that the Quaid had also spoken of the creation of new provinces, adding that ““We, the people of central Punjab, also demand freedom”.

‘India split provinces successfully’

Perhaps it was quoting the Indian example of the division of Punjab into three units which incensed his colleagues, prompting heated responses from Zafar Ali Shah, Afzal Sindhu and Yousaf Talpur.

“If you split a province, then there will be a long list,” Zafar Ali Shah warned while adding, “only the boundaries of a province can be changed under the constitution”.

When threats of secession started echoing in the session, it was apparent that PPP MNA Talpur had not taken the proposed amendment well.

“We, the people of Sindh, will have to decide whether or not we want to be in Pakistan if this is what you want to do,” Talpur claimed furiously.

The incensed lawmaker also pointed out the paradox in the government sanctioning provincial autonomy through the 18th Amendment while bills for the creation of new provinces had been tabled in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, MNA Sindhu took a slightly calmer approach, saying that the Indian example was not relevant in Pakistan’s case as they have a special commission for the creation of new provinces.

The increasingly heated debate led to the usual mediator, Syed Khursheed Shah, to intervene when he suggested that the matter be deferred.

Weapons in assembly

Geographical boundaries aside, it was the inner chambers of parliament that became the focus in the next ruckus, which emerged when Ejaz Virk alleged that two MNAs had been carrying with them weapons into the lower house for four years.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik expressed shock and assured the house that the allegations would be investigated; understandably so in light of his claim that there were several layers of security to enter the session and that ‘it wasn’t possible’ to carry a weapon. A report would be provided within three days, he assured the house.

Meanwhile, determined to not be left behind US Congressional hearings, members from the opposition and treasury benches warned the government to take immediate steps to address the issue of Balochistan.

“Balochistan will not normalise unless the role of agencies and the Frontier Corps is eliminated,” said Humayun Aziz Kurd.

Asiya Nasir, Dr Zil-e-Huma and Yousaf Talpur condemned the interior minister’s statement on the recent killing of FC personnel and simultaneous silence on the murder of Mir Domki’s wife and daughter. In response, the minister clarified that his statement was misconstrued and that he did not want to correlate Domki family’s killings with the death of FC personnel.

The house managed to return to normalcy when a bill to amend the Medical and Dental Council Ordinance, 1962 [The Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2009], was passed.

(Read: No need for further divisions)

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2012.