New provinces: MQM to present bill in NA

Bill will be a “litmus test” for political parties' claims of support for new provinces, says Sattar.

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) plans to present a bill in the National Assembly on Monday, with a constitutional amendment to create two new provinces in Pakistan: for the Hazara and southern Punjab belts respectively. Political parties spoke at length on the issue last year, but there have been no concrete steps taken as yet. According to MQM Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar, who spoke at an event in Karachi on Sunday: “We will speak to other political parties as well. There are so many claimants who say they support the creation of new provinces.” At its rally in Multan on December 23, MQM chief Altaf Hussain announced the party’s support for the creation of the southern Punjab province. The party has earlier submitted resolutions on the issue in parliament. Sattar told The Express Tribune that the bill will be a “litmus test” for political parties on whether they can follow through on their claims of support for new provinces.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd,  2012.