President Asif Ali Zardari sent a reference to the National Assembly speaker late on Thursday night, calling for the formation of a commission regarding the carving out of two new provinces from Punjab.
The commission, which will have six senators, six MNAs and two members from the Punjab Assembly, will look into issues relating to the creation of the Multan and Bahawalpur provinces in Punjab and initiate the process of amendments in the Constitution for the purpose.
Presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said that the commission will submit a report to the speaker and the prime minister within a month, which will then be followed by the process of Constitutional amendments.
He said that the reference draws the attention of the speaker to resolutions passed by the National and the Punjab assemblies calling for the creation of new provinces.
In the reference, the president stated that on May 3, 2012, the National Assembly had adopted a resolution in order to address the grievances and to secure the political, administrative and economic interests of the people of south Punjab.
While referring to the Punjab Assembly resolution, President Zardari recalled that the assembly also passed a similar resolution demanding parliament and the federal government to create a new province as well as revive the provincial status of Bahawalpur.
According to the reference, members of the commission will be nominated by the chairman and National Assembly speaker.
The commission will look into issues relating to fair distribution of economic and financial resources, demarcation, allocation/re-adjustment of seats in the National Assembly, Senate and the concerned provincial assembly.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2012.
COMMENTS (26)
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punjab should be free as a country
Punjab needs division, as it can manage 56% of population in a single province efficiently. One cant compare punjab with other provinces, which has much lesser population. So far Baluchistan division, so managemnt of population matters not area. It is people who want fulfilment of their needs, not the earth. BTW how many institutions of higher education are there in Seraiki built, n how r these in Punjabi dominant areas?
Making more provinces out of huge population of Punjab is in Punjab's favor not against it. Just one example here. Currently Punjab has only 25% representation in the senate which is same as Baluchistan. After it becomes three provinces their strength in senate would increase by a factor of 300%. Currently Punjab can never be in majority afterward they would be in a much better position. Currently parties representing Punjab are in small minority in senate, which would change with the new provinces. It is not all bad and against Punjab. Last but not the least if all areas of Pakistan would be happy managing their own affairs, the whole country would be contented and there would be less blame.
@Mansoor:
My statement is a reaction statement and should be seen in that context. Perhaps I used the wrong sentence, What I find quite objectionable in mainstream media is when Urdu is referred as national language of this country which is totally absurd, Urdu is just one of the national languages , all native pakistani languages such as punjabi, sindhi, pashto, balochi are much more national than urdu and must be respected and promoted. The notion of urdu being the "only national language" of pakistan should be over now.
@gujranwala987: I am glad to hear that finally some people are beginning to realise that Punjabis are in fact the most oppressed people who are deprived of their basic right to speak and write in their own language. I cannot agree more that Urdu must be banned in Punjab as a medium of communication starting with schools and other government institutions.
@Nasr:
There will not be any pakistan if punjab secedes, it is punjab that is binding pakistan.
@Nasr:
I'm sure you even don't like yourself too.
@Zamir Malik Please go for it. Try to convince the rest of upper Punjab and its leaders to demand a separate sovereign state. You will be surprised that the rest of Pakistan will never oppose it.
@kapt slim: You can always reduce the perks and salaries. Problem solved.
Restoration of Bahawalpur Should be done. Most of the people are mixing with creation of new province struggle.
It is a good move, it will help establish a much needed strong punjabi nationalism in central punjab, we have been fed right from the childhood that we should respect other ethnicities of this country but others have been taught right from their childhood to hate punjab and punjabis. I think we should strenghten our punjabi identity, ban urdu language in upper punjab and revive our punjabi language of central punjab.
Making provinces in Punjab is not a division, but making provinces in Sindh is a division..where is Pakistan and Jinnah?
It is high time Punjab too go the Balochistan way and try to secede away from Pakistan. Punjab and Balochistan have no future with Pakistan. Both provinces which historically enjoyed great relations now hate each other and suffer the most in Pakistan.
Zamir Malik
Strange thoughts. AJK has a special status because it is a disputed region. Don't take administrative divisions so 'strongly', as to become a separatist.
this is nothing but a political move. Mr zaradari, the evil genius is planning it so well before elections.whole of south punjab will vote for PPP and in the end we will have to bear them for another 5 years. they can't even manage 4 provinces and are thinking of making more
Next should come Balochistan, which isthe largest province in term of terrirtory. It should be divided beween Pashtoon (North) and Baloch (South). Or simply revive the Brtish Balochistan/Quetta Commionery, just like Bahawalpor province in Panjab.
Well Sindh should be divided as well. there is nothing common between Karachi and rest of Sindh other than the fact that the landlords of interior come to gulp whatever is there in Karachi. Karachi is a city of middle class and interior sindh is a place of people being ruled as slaves. Dont think there is anything common so if not for this atleast for better administrative purposes there should be divisions of Sindh. It is not anti nationalistics it is purely administrative.
Why to make new provinces ? How will pay for the new assemblies and various administration set up in new provinces. DO we have money for all this ?
If Sindh, KPK and Balochistan cannot be divided then Punjab cannot be divided as well .Rules must be equal for all provinces or else should not be applied at all.
PMLN will be wiped out in next elections as Nawaz is a power hungry so called leader and he is defending that other provinces must not be divided while Punjab should be divided to appease other ethnivities . PMLN deathbed is getting.ready in Punjab as their lust of power will be over for good and the party that cannot represent sentiment of Punjab have no right to rule us. PMLN may be good for Pakistan but it is not good for Punjab at all.
The whole of Pakistan hates Punjabis so why live with all of them??. Why Not Upper Punjab will demand a Separate Entity like Azad Kashmir with its own Prime Minister and President so that rest of Pakistanis will stop messing with us for good and let them live on their own with full of Hatred in their hearts against us. Upper Punjab can have an Entity with Azad Kashmir and they could progress more than any other region of the Sub Contine.
Pretty strange that the parties who want division of Punjab have no say whatsoever in Punjab. MQM, ANP are supporting PPP in Punjab's division and it is pretty strange that these local parties with no existence in Punjab always emphasize that nobody other than them have a right to say about their region but they want to mess with everyone. I think in future Upper Punjab will be a pushed so much so to get separation from the rest of the country with Its Own Currency and Army and India will be a better option to cooperate with in future rather than the rest of Hateful Pakistan and I have a firm belief that we will progress more than ever with our Separate Entity like We have Azad Kashmir we could have a Azad Punjab ( A separate Entity away from Pakistan.).