ANP questions MQM’s support for Seraiki province
Says tabling a resolution in the NA is ‘against the law’.
PESHAWAR:
The Awami National Party (ANP) has termed the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) move for a Seraiki province in the National Assembly a political gimmick, saying that the MQM was silently paving way for a separate province in Sindh.
Talking to reporters at the Peshawar Press Club, ANP provincial president Senator Afrasyab Khattak said that his party also supported a Seraiki province in Punjab and added that a Seraiki unit of ANP still exists.
However, he termed MQM’s move of tabling a resolution in the National Assembly against the law.
“A resolution [regarding provinces] must be submitted in the provincial assembly. Tabling a resolution demanding a province within a province in the National Assembly is wrong and against the law,” Khattak said.
He accused the MQM of having double standards, saying that if an addition of a single district in Karachi is unacceptable to the MQM, how can they demand more provinces in the country.
Khattak also said that the MQM should accept people from all parts of the country.
“If the MQM wants to make people happy, they should let all those who belong to different areas of the country, live peacefully in Karachi,” he said, adding that till dead bodies keep being recovered in Karachi, the MQM will continue facing hardships staying in politics.
Talking about the Hazara movement for a separate province, Khattak said that the movement had no background and started just after the North West Frontier Province was renamed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2012.
The Awami National Party (ANP) has termed the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) move for a Seraiki province in the National Assembly a political gimmick, saying that the MQM was silently paving way for a separate province in Sindh.
Talking to reporters at the Peshawar Press Club, ANP provincial president Senator Afrasyab Khattak said that his party also supported a Seraiki province in Punjab and added that a Seraiki unit of ANP still exists.
However, he termed MQM’s move of tabling a resolution in the National Assembly against the law.
“A resolution [regarding provinces] must be submitted in the provincial assembly. Tabling a resolution demanding a province within a province in the National Assembly is wrong and against the law,” Khattak said.
He accused the MQM of having double standards, saying that if an addition of a single district in Karachi is unacceptable to the MQM, how can they demand more provinces in the country.
Khattak also said that the MQM should accept people from all parts of the country.
“If the MQM wants to make people happy, they should let all those who belong to different areas of the country, live peacefully in Karachi,” he said, adding that till dead bodies keep being recovered in Karachi, the MQM will continue facing hardships staying in politics.
Talking about the Hazara movement for a separate province, Khattak said that the movement had no background and started just after the North West Frontier Province was renamed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2012.