The idea of creating more provinces is a non-starter.
SYDNEY: This is with reference to Asad Rahim Khan’s article titled “The debate for more provinces” (April 10). I believe that creating new provinces out of the existing ones will not be acceptable to the majority ethnic group of each province, which is likely to lose its hold on the power structure. The idea of creating more provinces is a non-starter. Ethnic minorities feel deprived of their economic and political rights but the present corrupt elite belonging to the ethnic majority of each province, will not allow any challenge to their authority lying down. Any such challenge will result in bloodshed and will eventually lead to a civil war.
The only solution is to grant administrative powers to city governments and free them from the clutches of the feudal class and the establishment. For Pakistan to survive and progress, all major cities have to evolve as education and industrial centres, which is only possible if the idea of city governments is implemented, ensuring maximum participation of the residents of each city in the running of their government.
Khalid Pathan
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2012.
