LAHORE:
The issue of new provinces has brought Punjab and the centre at loggerheads.
Fists were clenched, punches thrown and abuses hurled in the hallowed hall of the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday as lawmakers, with a majority vote, passed a resolution rejecting the formation and proceedings of the national commission on the formation of two new provinces in Punjab.
The resolution demanded the federal government immediately withdraw the notification of the commission constituted to deliberate the formation of a South Punjab and Bahawalpur province.
The session started an hour and 19 minutes later than its scheduled time of 10 am, with the speaker allowing opposition members to deliver their speeches on the issue of South Punjab.
After a few speeches though, the speaker attempted to shift to government business but was besieged by opposition members who created a ruckus and approached the dais.
Despite the uproar, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah succeeded in getting the Information Technology University of the Punjab Bill 2012 passed by the house. The bill, passed earlier, had been rejected by Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa who raised objections over it.
The speaker then suspended the rules of procedure and allowed Sanaullah to present a resolution against the national commission on new provinces. The resolution was passed by the house with a majority vote.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Service Tribunals Bill 2012 and the Punjab Local Government Bill 2012 were also introduced in the house.
The resolution rejected the establishment of the commission, constituted by the National Assembly speaker on August 16 for the formation of two new provinces in Punjab – South Punjab and Bahawalpur – on grounds that it is “contrary to the spirit of the resolutions passed by the Punjab Assembly on May 9, 2012” on the same issue.
The resolution demanded an “immediate withdrawal of this nominated commission … and its denotification.”
It also demanded the federal government “form a national commission in which all stakeholders should be given representation.”
Talking to the media outside the assembly, Sanaullah said after the passage of the resolution the commission has lost its authenticity and legality. He asked the federal government to stop the commission from working immediately. PPP Deputy Opposition Leader in PA Shaukat Mehmood Basra and MPA Ehsanul Haq Naulatia said the opposition pointed out the quorum to the speaker, so the passage of the resolution and the bill is illegal.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2012.
COMMENTS (16)
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Larkana should be made part of Punjab!!
Larkana and Nawabshah should be made part of Punjab!!!!
These are just delaying tactics PML-N playing. It wants to ward off the wind of change in Southern Punjab which is likely to sweep away the so called popularity of PML-N. Sraiki Punjab contributes to about 45% of Punjab’s economy, whereas till recently hardly 10% was being spent over there for development purposes. Anyone is welcome to visit Southern Punjab and notice the roads and communication, and then Bhawalpur area and notice the narrow broken down roads even the famous main avenues. Visit the Govt offices in Saraeki belt and notice majority officers and even lower grade employees and peons are from outside Southern Punjab. All the opinion makers and high and low flying real and pseudo-politicians and columnists should first talk to the people of these areas demanding separate entities, look into the ADPs (Annual Development Programs) of Punjab for the past 10 – 20 years and notice the huge discrepancy in the revenue generation of Seraiki areas . Notice the discrepancy in jobs allocation, number of ministers from these areas, conditions of living, health sector, education etc etc. If the people of these areas demand better control on their assets and earnings then why is everyone so angry at these underserved and abused people?. Why to blame opposition party for hatching conspiracies against them? Why to show reluctance while fulfilling the legitimate demand of Saraeki people.
i am from south Punjab and i know PML N did nothing for us we are facing allot of problems but Punjab Govt spend money only in Lahore. just lahore is not Punjab. we want New Province i love my country and saraki instead of many problems never turned against Pak as happened in many parts of the country people fight against state for there rights... Punjabi's have to rights to decide weather saraki have new province or not .......Sarakistan and Pakistan Zindabad
hardly any vision except for bare eyes :D
It is also the only province that has a Governor who actively works against the elected government and is even willing to work actively against the interests of the province.
We cannot and will not allow Punjab in Pakistan to become like UP in India.
Mayawati keeps getting elected in UP because of her ethnicity and caste . We will not allow that sort of politics to effect pruralism of Pakistani Punjab .
The Punjabi electorate will demand that PML N pass another resolution clearly enunciating that bifurcation of Punjab is not an option .
If the PML-N let the Punjab divided, the Punjabis will never forgive this crime.
well most of the politicians have no sense of etiquette, so this is an another issue! as far as division of provinces is concerned I am for it BUT only on the basis of better administration divide the provinces not on the basis of linguistic or ethnic reasons!
@pakpower but it surprisingly passes more bills even more than na
@PakPower: because there is no opposition in other provinces.
@PakPower: Strongly agree with you.
No division of Punjab!! hear this clearly u Sindhi government!
Punjab Assembly is the most unprofessional and uncivilized assembly in Pakistan. Its more like a kabbadi field than a house of legislation. Pathetic.