Nowhere in the world has anyone considered the creation of smaller administrative units as harmful to the federation.
RAWALPINDI: Before making highflying comments about new provinces, could someone visit the opinion of the Seraiki people and the Hazaras and ask them if their rights are being usurped by Lahore and Peshawar. Seraiki Punjab contributes about 45 per cent to Punjab’s economy, whereas, till recently, hardly 10 per cent of the budget was being spent on them for development purposes. Similarly, 85 per cent of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa income is from the Hazara division where even less than 10 per cent is spent for development. Anyone is welcome to visit Peshawar, Charsadda and Mardan, notice the roads and communication network there, and then visit Hazara and notice its narrow broken down roads. All opinion-makers, columnists and pseudo-politicians should first talk to the people of these areas who are demanding separate provinces.
Nowhere in the world has anyone considered the creation of smaller administrative units as harmful to the federation. Rather, when everyone gets his/her due share, the federation is further strengthened.
Dr Mian Amir Sohail
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2011.
