Breaking the deadlock: PML-N wants to lead provinces panel
A day after the opposition rejected the government’s commission on new provinces, the ruling party reportedly launched renewed efforts to end the deadlock.
The efforts, it appears, may be bearing fruit.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has demanded the chairmanship of the new provinces’ commission and wants the platform to be an all-Punjab body, with members from other provinces expelled, said top officials in the PML-N while speaking to The Express Tribune on Friday.
The commission is currently headed by Senator Farhatullah Babar, who is also the spokesperson for President Asif Ali Zardari and hails from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Sharing political credit
The PML-N does not want to ‘spoil’ the creation of the proposed South Punjab province, one official from the party said.
All the opposition was expecting from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was to execute the idea in a way that makes it look like a ‘national decision,’ rather than that of the government, another PML-N leader said.
“We want the government to equally share the political credit with us … we will not like to be seen as a villain in the region,” the leader added.
According to sources, the fresh demand was conveyed to the government during a meeting between PPP stalwart and Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah, and PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar on Thursday.
PML-N spokespersons were contacted for either confirming or denying the information but they refused to offer any comments.
Govt mulls over demand
It was not immediately known if the PPP would give PML-N the chairmanship of the commission but there were strong indications that the government was at least contemplating the demand.
In what may be the most obvious indication, a meeting of the commission scheduled for Friday to draft its terms of references was put off to give backchannel efforts between the PPP and PML-N some more time to break the deadlock.
Sources said an informal meeting of top PPP leaders was held at the Parliament House with Law Minister Farooq H Naek and commission chair Farhatullah Babar.
Khursheed Shah, who held overnight talks with PML-N’s Dar, was also present at the meeting along with secretary National Assembly and a top official of the law ministry.
Sources said the meeting discussed the implications of the resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly this Wednesday, opposing the commission.
According to the Constitution, any move to alter the boundaries of a province has to be initiated in the assembly of the same province. Talking to media after the meeting, Farhatullah Babar attempted to downplay the impact of Punjab Assembly’s resolution, saying it would not stop the commission from proceeding with the task from next week.
The Friday meeting was postponed, not cancelled, because of unavailability of some members, Babar said.
He added he would personally contact the PML-N leadership and party’s members to the commission to ensure their attendance at future meetings.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2012.
COMMENTS (16)
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@Blithe: These so called leaders of Punjab are Punjab haters and Punjab traitors , They have no right to divide Punjab because it is not there Peo di Jageer or Lutt Da Maal .
Punjab haters and Punjab traitors in and outside the Parliament of Pakistan and Punjab Provincial assembly have united on a single point agenda , the partition of Punjab . Even the biggest stake holder in this 100% political game P M L ( N ) is not taking a clear stand in this matter . Punjab is a single linguistic and ethnic entity since time immemorial and has generously absorbed all the outsiders , Arabs , turks , Pathans , Kashmiries and baluch settelers in it’s liberal and broadminded society , hence there is not a genuine demand for a separate province form any corner of the province . It is a political gimmick of PPP led collation to get the sympathies of South Punjab for gaining the maximum ballot weightage in the coming election . The propounders of scheme for carving out a new province on the soil of Punjab are playing with fire . They perhaps don’t know that once Punjab is split no one can stop the splitting of Sindh , K P K and Balochistan . A slight imbalance in the existing boundaries of federating units will play havoc with the federation and will lead to mass exodus of population , looting , plundering and a full-fledged civil war . It is amazing that the only sane voice opposing the carving of a new province in Punjab has come from Baochistan , where C M Nawab Aslam Raisani has said that the people talking about new provinces have no idea about sensitivity of the matter and they are supporting the move only to for short term politically gains . Raisani warned that the issue of new provinces will lead to anarchy which will be difficult to control and urged the the president and prime Minister not to open Pandora’s box . He was very right in demanding the rights for federating units and need for a new social contact in accordance with 1940 resolution . I hope Mr Raisani’s voice will be heard with sanity in political corridors . Tariq Mahmud Jatala 131/f Askari 5 , Gulbeg 3 , Lahore , 042 35858714. 0300 4880890
A very good step taken by PML-N. Its Punjab which is being divided so the Punjabi's should be given the task to do it.
@Lala Gee: Well said, who has given PML N mandate to even contemplate dividing Punjab????
Why are they even indulging PPP on this idea???
And what does Nawaz go to Sindh and no part of Sindh will ever be divided no matter how many cuts are inflicted on Punjab????? Who has given Nawaz such a mandate to divide Punjab .
Nawaz has to remember that if he plays politics over prulrlsism of Punjab , he will be discarded by the Punjabis .
What moderation? It is unfortunate......ET is a biased newspaper.I will no longer subscribe to ET.
No comments,because my comments are not posted by ET.
oh well it seems like people wants to party over punjab i wonder if anyone in punjab, like other groups in pakistan such as baloch pashtun and sindhis, will ever raise any voice for punjab
Look at the PML-N,s selfishness....why they blocked renaming of NWFP in tbe 18th Amendment while it should have been a prerogative of Pakhtoons only.
They are just making people fool otherwise no party is interested to solve the problems of masses. What they delivered in four years is an open secret.
This Ishaq Dar such a spineless man. ... I dont know whose side he is on PMLN or some other party. He should stay in Dubai.
Wants to take PPP's credit away!
Democracy is the Best Revenge - BB Long Live Cause of Poor and deprived people's right. PML-N has to bow down otherwise they will be expelled from Sindh + Seariki Aera TOTALLY.