Punjab delays formation of new provinces’ commission
While the PML-N government in Punjab has attempted to appease its people by promising the creation of new provinces, it is simultaneously delaying the formation of a commission to complete the task, The Express Tribune has learnt.
The Punjab government is delaying the formation of a commission mandated to decide the formation of new provinces by not responding to a federal government request asking them to nominate two MPAs from the Punjab Assembly for the commission, sources said.
National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza sent a letter six days ago to Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, asking him to nominate two MPAs for the commission so that it could fulfill the difficult task of creating the new provinces in Punjab.
According to an official of the Punjab Assembly Secretariat, although they had received the letter, Speaker Rana Iqbal has not taken it up yet.
The speaker, according to the official, has left the decision to the leadership of his party, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), and added that he would follow the party decision on the matter.
The PML-N has directed Speaker Rana Iqbal to delay a decision on the request for as long as rules allow.
The public relations officer of Rana Iqbal, while confirming the receipt of the letter, said that he had no information when the speaker would consider it.
Sources in the PML-N have said that the party is in talks with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led coalition government over the formation of four new provinces instead of two. Unless they reach an agreement at some point, the speaker will not respond to the letter.
Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa said it was an injustice to the people of South Punjab that the Punjab government is delaying the process of the formation of new provinces.
Timeline
On May 31, President Asif Ali Zardari sent a reference to the NA speaker, calling for the constitution of a commission comprising six senators, as many MNAs and two members from the Punjab Assembly to look into issues related to the creation of two new provinces, namely Multan and Bahawalpur in Punjab and to initiate the process of amendments in the Constitution for this purpose.
On May 3, the NA passed a majority resolution to form a new province to be known as Janoobi Punjab to be created from the current Punjab province.
The PML-N, on the same day submitted a resolution in the NA secretariat pertaining to the formation of four new provinces including South Punjab, the restoration of Bahawalpur province, Hazara and Fata.
On May 9, the PA unanimously passed a resolution calling for the formation of a commission to create a new South Punjab province and to restore the status of Bahawalpur province.
On July 11, the NA endorsed the message of President Zardari which he had sent to the speaker of the NA, where he asked to create a commission and authorised the speaker to nominate six members from the house.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 5th, 2012.
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@Zubair: I think this endless discussion must end now.Respectable life to right is our right and we will get it sooner or later,whether you like or not.punjab will be divided Inshallah very soon.Good bye
@Qaiserani
Like I said, you look down upon Punjabis yourself because most of politicians from Southern Punjab live in Lahore and upper Punjab and they are the one's who never did anything for locals of Southern Punjab. The reality is most politicians especially those of 'outside' links living in our Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur have controlled Punjab for the most time since last 60 years and Sharif brothers are the only one's from upper Punjab who have been leading Punjab and they have been successful as well.
Again, we're the real locals of this land and we're the real people of seraiki land and of course seraiki is our main dialect. Others who look down upon us, our land and especially our people are not worthy of being called our brothers,they should move back to where they came from. They are equally the imperialists in our land of Punjab. We welcomed them in our Punjab and they're the one's who have made real locals Rajputs and Jatts minority in Southern Punjab.
No wonder why people from Afghanistan to bangladesh hate one paprticular ethnicity.Why so??Because they donot treat others as humans and want to plunder resources of other ethnicities.
Only 'some' came from lands west to Punjab. The people who came from east, at least from East Punjab were still Punjabis who shared common culture, language and heritage and they were welcomed and that is why unlike "urdu speakers", they're not called Muhajirs in Punjab. Like I said, only Rajputs and jatts of Punjab; from Patiala to all the way to Dera Ghazi Khan are real locals, until "some" arrived after Mir Chakar Rind decided to visit our lands. So, what is ours is ours and that includes land too.
and Lahore is the seat of Punjab along with Multan and many areas, Lahore is a very old and historic city so Lahore matters to us 'real' locals.
Again, only us Rajput and Jatt tribes like Khar, Kanju, Berah, Toor, Daultana, Khichi etc are the real locals of all whole Punjab including southern Punjab and Seraiki belt is ours. Others who came from outside should not meddle in our land.
@Zubair: Foriegners also go back to neighbouring country from where they belong.Ist of all they must leave South Punjab which they have colonized i.e Multan,bahawalpur,rahimyar Khan,Layyah etc.They must be ripped from all the lands which have ben allotted to tehm illiegally whetehr in South Punjab or Sindh.
I donot know why you insist Saraikis to live in "takt e Lahore" slavery.I donot know why people want to usurp other basic rights to live as they wish to live for themselves.
Donot try to mak eit ethnic issue.It's all about our rights to live as propserous as citizens of "takt e Lahore" and other GT Road cities live.
@Rafaqat the same resources that drive your productive cities. open your eyes and see that the factories in your productive and financial cities are dependent on raw materials that are almost produced in south pujnab. i am also from punjabi family but the elite in upper n central punajb see the whole of south punjab as like they dont deserve anything. this is rubbish n this is the reason majority of punjabis along with seraikis are in support of other provinces. but on the other note the province name should not include any linguistic thing. be it like bahawalpur or south punjab. let harmony come here n plz get out of our ballon of hatred.
@Zubair: If you so care about Punjab,ask PMLN and Punjabi elite to consider saraikis as humans too.they do need every thing like GT Road cities have.End Colonization and long live saraikistan and Pakistan.
Where did the map shown above came from? Why punjabi majority areas shown as part of seraiki province?
I think people in Southern Punjab who have roots in 'other' provinces should not be allowed to talk about what 'real' locals in Punjab want.
If the criteria is Seriki speaking , then Northen Sindh and parts of KPK and Balachistan need to be incorporated .
Frankly , this is a scheme to divide Pakistan . Punjab is a prularistic passage ( i don't even use the word province ). Language is spoken on the basis of the territory you are in , not your ethnicity .
Don't destroy this beautiful province .
@Rafaqat: Keep all your resources with you.We just want separation from you.Enough is enough. @Punjabi Think Tank: Good scholarly discussion by you for your Punjabi nation.But we "Saraikis" are fed up with your colonization of "Saraikistan".Avail your all options as enumerated by you and let us live happily in 3 divisions of "Great Punjab".
Two nations theory i.e. Muslim and Hindu was real theory or was a political stunt? It was the subject of debate or discussion before 14 august 1947.
After creation of Pakistan, as the country was Muslim therefore, feasible theory was five nations and at present is four nations i.e. Sindhi, Baloch, Pukhtoon & Punjabis.
One point is very clear. Pakistan is a state of four (4) Nations i.e. Sindhi, Baloch, Pukhtoon & Punjabis.
If Sindhi, Baloch and Pukhtoons are in favor of Saraiki province then make it sure that; The Saraiki province will be composed upon four divisions, one division from each province i.e. D.G Khan from Punjab, D.I Khan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Naseerabad from Baluchistan and Larkana from Sindh.
The commonality between Saraiki's is their Baloch background by virtue of race and presence at bordering area of Sindh, Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. So that; these divisions are populous by Saraiki people.
All Non-Bloch people in Punjab are Punjabis therefore, proxy politics in Punjab to disintegrate the original and actual dialects of Punjab by Sindhi's, Balochis and Pukhtoons will be treated as interference and intervention in internal affairs of Punjabi nation. Punjabi nation will reserve the right for counteraction.
Brother nations i.e. Sindhi's, Balochis and Pukhtoons should realize that; in internal affair of their own nations, already there is comfortable room and additional feasibility prevails for simple proxy of Punjabi nation to disintegrate them in sections.
Since thousands years Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan are bordering neighbors but Punjabi nation never tried to dominate them, yes with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, it happened vice-versa, however, at present all nations are a part of one state i.e. Pakistan, anyhow; If we pull off independent positions then we will not be the neighbors?
At present Punjabi nation is under pressure because of communication and energy corridor war game at “Baluchistan to Silk route” between US and China. Humiliation and loathing of Punjabi people by the people of neighboring nations including abolition and disintegration of Punjab by the people of neighboring nations is very well known or at least presumption of Punjabi people that; it have the blessing of old Punjabi friend. But, nothing to worry, US is old friend, China is the bordering neighbor and Punjabi people have the courage to deal with them in whatever terrible circumstances may be. However, behavior of bordering neighbors of Punjab at awful time with Punjabi nation will leave the great impression for the future relation, which may be pleasant or may be bitter but according to the deeds of bordering neighbors.
Shocking time on Punjab is not because of Punjab prospect; it is due to defending the land of “Baluchistan to Silk route” by the Punjabis, as a nation of state Pakistan. Failure to successful defense will crush the brother nations of Punjab, not Punjabis, because Punjabi nation has many options to deal it successfully in all state of affairs and attitude of brotherly neighbors, therefore, one thing is obvious and necessary to understand by the brotherly neighboring nations of Punjab that; in the game of communication and energy corridors between US and China, Punjabi nation will succeed at end of game, because it is not a new state of affairs, many time, martial Punjabi nation have dealt with such type of circumstance in history of Punjab, from Raja Pours to Raja Ranjeet Singh.
@Qaisrani:
Which resources are you talking about. ? We have productive cities like Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot that are major export earners. Lahore is our financial centre. We have excellent agricultural economy of our own also.
North Punjab's economy will be much better off without the drag of south Punjab.
It's time to consider Saraikis as humans too.We want fair share of resources,jobs in Pakistani federation and our identity as well.PMLN should realize that they can't plunder Saraikis any more."Takh e Lahore" should use it's own resources for development in GT Road cities,not of us.President Zardari,please follow the procedure and give us respectable way to live in our own province.