Fie photo of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. PHOTO: ONLINE/ FILE
Addressing a press conference at Punjab House, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that the Pakistan Peoples Party government was not “sincere” about the creation of the new province.
“This move will not serve the larger interest of the masses in south Punjab and will merely create slots for the governor and chief minister for those pressing for it,” said Nisar.
The opposition has boycotted a parliamentary commission overseeing the creation of new provinces in Punjab. The commission has wrapped up its report which is expected to be presented in parliament this week. The commission has agreed on naming the new province Bahawalpur South Punjab.
However, it appears that the outcome of the commission has not gone down well. On Saturday, PML-N leader Khwaja Asif told Express News that unless members of the Punjab Assembly were involved in the decision making, or the matter was initiated from the Punjab Assembly, the creation of any new province goes contrary to the Constitution. Asif had criticiszed the very composition of the commission, claiming that there was insufficient representation from Punjab.
That the commission had insufficient representation from the opposition also irked Nisar, who said that it should not be called a national body as it had no PML-N leader from central Punjab – the region under discussion. Indeed, the PML-N’s Asad has pointed out that the commission’s chairman, Farhatullah Babar, was from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. This was problematic, added Nisar, as Babar was a “close aide and personal staff officer” of President Asif Ali Zardari.
Nisar also felt that the commission was not formed by the federal government, but was instead arbitrarily set in place by President Zardari, something that had affected its credibility.
This has cast a shadow on the motives, said the opposition leader, arguing that carving out a new province is not as urgent as other major issues; the PPP is doing this merely for political mileage as the elections approach.
“Even if the South Punjab province were formed, it will not solve the problems of the masses. This is being done only to serve the purpose of Makhdoom and Gilani families, who will be its chief minister and governor.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2013.
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There should be a limit to lopsided reporting. All PPP members of the commission save for Farhat Ullah Babar were from Punjab along with the PML-Q members of the commission. This made majority of the commission from Punjab.
MQM, ANP and JUI had to be given representation as a Constitutional amendment cannot be passed without them and got one seat each.
PMLN has done a grave injustice to not only the people of South Punjab but also central Punjab by not becoming part of this historic step.
It is ironic that they are whining about additional costs of Governor, Chief Minister and assemblies yet they would rather have Bahawalpur as a separate province. The intention is clearly malafide.
Sharif and Nisar would sell and do anything and everything to finagle an election victory. Wait and see.