New provinces with consensus: Gilani
Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi was forced to suspend proceedings to calm tempers.
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Friday that the creation of new provinces should be done with consensus and added that history will not forgive if the decision is taken under the influence of someone.
Gilani was speaking in the National Assembly after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had protested the non-inclusion of their resolution on the creation of new provinces was not included in the agenda.
The prime minister said that his party was supportive on the creation of new provinces and said that a majority of the members were with him. “I don’t know when they will support you, but they support me now.”
The MQM had earlier threatened to boycott the National Assembly session. Haider Abbas Rizvi had said that the resolution was not on agenda, to which Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi responded by saying that the resolution had not been brought forward and therefore could not be included in the agenda.
Awami National Party (ANP) leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour had said that the matter was provincial and a decision on it would be unconstitutional.
During yesterday’s session, several MQM and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) members raised slogans slated with the word “debate” — supporting the creation of Seraiki and Hazara provinces. The party’s stance met with firm resistance from the Pakistan Muslim League Nwaz (PML-N), with Chaudhry Nisar stating that “a party in Karachi cannot make provinces in other provinces.”
The Awami National Party (ANP) has also criticised the MQM’s position on the matter, casting doubts over the party’s sincerity towards the creation of new provinces.
“If you [MQM] hate Pakhtuns then how you can be sincere in your demands of a Hazara province,” said ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, who later staged a walkout claiming that proceedings were not held under parliamentary norms.
MQM leader Farooq Sattar, speaking to the media, said that it was because of the MQM that Gilani had given his assurances on the floor of the house today.
'New provinces are not formed by chanting slogans'
Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan once again lashed out at the MQM, stating new provinces were not formed by chanting slogans or holding rallies.
Nisar, who was also speaking to the media after the session, said that the government’s partners were deceiving the people of Pakistan and Karachi, adding that they quit the government one day, make a deal and then come back to the government.
The PML-N leader said his party was in favour of new provinces. He questioned why politics were being played on the issue when there was consensus.
He said the MQM was talking about democracy, but it had been scared of their rival, Afaq Ahmed, and had pressurised the government into keeping him imprisoned.
Nisar added that Punjab would be able to stand divisions on linguistic bases, but Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh will not be able to.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Friday that the creation of new provinces should be done with consensus and added that history will not forgive if the decision is taken under the influence of someone.
Gilani was speaking in the National Assembly after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had protested the non-inclusion of their resolution on the creation of new provinces was not included in the agenda.
The prime minister said that his party was supportive on the creation of new provinces and said that a majority of the members were with him. “I don’t know when they will support you, but they support me now.”
The MQM had earlier threatened to boycott the National Assembly session. Haider Abbas Rizvi had said that the resolution was not on agenda, to which Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi responded by saying that the resolution had not been brought forward and therefore could not be included in the agenda.
Awami National Party (ANP) leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour had said that the matter was provincial and a decision on it would be unconstitutional.
During yesterday’s session, several MQM and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) members raised slogans slated with the word “debate” — supporting the creation of Seraiki and Hazara provinces. The party’s stance met with firm resistance from the Pakistan Muslim League Nwaz (PML-N), with Chaudhry Nisar stating that “a party in Karachi cannot make provinces in other provinces.”
The Awami National Party (ANP) has also criticised the MQM’s position on the matter, casting doubts over the party’s sincerity towards the creation of new provinces.
“If you [MQM] hate Pakhtuns then how you can be sincere in your demands of a Hazara province,” said ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, who later staged a walkout claiming that proceedings were not held under parliamentary norms.
MQM leader Farooq Sattar, speaking to the media, said that it was because of the MQM that Gilani had given his assurances on the floor of the house today.
'New provinces are not formed by chanting slogans'
Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan once again lashed out at the MQM, stating new provinces were not formed by chanting slogans or holding rallies.
Nisar, who was also speaking to the media after the session, said that the government’s partners were deceiving the people of Pakistan and Karachi, adding that they quit the government one day, make a deal and then come back to the government.
The PML-N leader said his party was in favour of new provinces. He questioned why politics were being played on the issue when there was consensus.
He said the MQM was talking about democracy, but it had been scared of their rival, Afaq Ahmed, and had pressurised the government into keeping him imprisoned.
Nisar added that Punjab would be able to stand divisions on linguistic bases, but Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh will not be able to.