'People's will cannot be overridden'

Punjab Assembly speaker says referendum verdict on new provinces must prevail

LAHORE:

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has questioned whether elected representatives could override the will of the people if they directly expressed their desire for the creation of new provinces through a referendum, saying the people were sovereign and their representatives could not negate their expressed wishes.

Malik raised the question after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi proposed holding a referendum to seek public opinion on the creation of new provinces.

Speaking at two different ceremonies in Lahore on Friday and a day earlier, Malik said the Constitution provided for provincial assemblies to move resolutions concerning the creation of new provinces.

However, he questioned whether the people's representatives could oppose their decision if the people themselves had expressed their wishes through a referendum.

Referring to the Pakistan Peoples Party's position that the Sindh Assembly was a stakeholder in any proposed division of Sindh, Malik argued that if the people of the province expressed their desire for a separate province through a referendum, the question would arise as to what position the provincial government or assembly could take against their wishes.

He said the matter involved a constitutional question and was the kind of debate that required constitutional interpretation.

The speaker also expressed support for the creation of smaller administrative units, saying they were necessary for improved service delivery.

However, he said he was strongly advocating a provincial finance commission and maintained that effective local governments were essential for self-rule.

Regarding the controversy surrounding Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain's remarks about corruption in Punjab, Malik said the matter was a storm in a teacup.

He said he had advised Salik against making remarks concerning alleged corruption under the Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government.

However, Salik had asked him whether he had listened to his complete interview.

Malik said he had initially heard the minister's remarks about widespread corruption but maintained that allegations of corruption in government departments should be examined in the context of the government's anti-corruption efforts.

Deploring corruption as a societal problem, he said the government needed to be assessed on the measures it was taking to eliminate the menace.