ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) set up on Monday a special committee to formulate suggestions on the demands of new provinces in the country, keeping national interest in view.
The move came just days after an announcement by the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) that hinted at the creation of a new province during the month of Ramazan.
The decision to formulate a special committee was taken during the PML-N’s parliamentary party meeting at the Parliament House, chaired by PML-N president Nawaz Sharif.
Headed by Raja Zafarul Haq, the committee includes Javed Hashmi, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Mamnoon Hussain, Yaqoob Khan Nasir, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Salahuddin Tirmizi, Tehmina Daultana, Arshad Khan Leghari and Chaudhry Jaffer Iqbal.
The party condemned the recent rise in prices of petroleum products by the government.
Meanwhile, Nawaz urged his party’s parliamentarians to mobilise the people for a “decisive” anti-government campaign after the summer.
Addressing the media at the Parliament House after the meeting, the PML-N president alleged that the government was using the parliament to cover up its corruption. “The parliament belongs to the entire nation, not just the president and a few individuals,” he said.
Sharif alleged that state institutions were being pitted against each other for personal gains. “Rulers have not accepted the incumbent judiciary, but we will not allow anyone to use the parliament against it,” he said.
Earlier, the Central Parliamentary Party (CPP) expressed grave concern on the non-implementation by the government of unanimous joint resolutions passed by the parliament in 2008 and 2011 respectively, which it said was “against the sovereignty of the parliament”. It called upon the government to implement these consensus resolutions forthwith which express national intent and the will of the people of Pakistan.
The party also demanded that the government implement every single order of the superior courts in letter and spirit to uphold the rule of law in the country.
The CPP expressed alarm on the government’s misuse of the National Database and Registration Authority in the manipulation of electoral rolls and census results.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2011.
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Saraiki Province is the demand of People suffering since inception of Pakistan. Punjab Government never bothered to launch a single development project in Southern Punjab for the welfare of the people. The plight of people in Southern Punjab makes one believe that these areas were treated as step mothers. Rather than mulling over the rationale demand of the people PML-N is riding on anti-PPP move. Mian Nawaz Sharif has also formed a party committee related to the demand for new provinces. While this may be a political gimmick for the mainstream political parties, the truth is that the idea of more provinces in Pakistan is indeed a good one. The PML-N has ‘threatened’ to ask for the division of Sindh along the lines of the Seraiki province but instead of threatening the government with such veiled remarks, they should think about the ground realities and how the creation of further provinces will help strengthen the federation. It appears as though the demand of the PML-N leader is only meant to create chaos in Sindh. The ‘love’ of the PML-N for Sindh can be judged from the fact that during both the tenures of Nawaz Sharif, they did not launch or complete any mega development project in Sindh. PM-N is just trying to divert the attention by playing politics on the new province in the Saraiki belt.
The expected recommendations of the PML N committee would be. 1. Pakhtunkhwa should be divided into three provinces.(Iqbal Zafar Jhagra will work under Mehtab Abassi) 2. Sindh should be divided into two provinces. 3. Balochistan should be left intact.(Sardar Yaqub Nasir will work under Qadir Baloch) 4. Punjab should be strengthened by giving areas from Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. 5. Concurrent list be recreated. 6. Water, Power and energy sector should be given under Punjab Provincial Government. 7. Lahore High court be declared equivalent to Supreme Court.
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Zindabad!
Gud going Mian Sahab, Another Long March please...
Hello DAWN: There is not even a single word discuss in the above article on New provinces as the heading of the above article shows