The parliamentary commission has finalised its report and agreed on a name for the new province. PHOTO: FILE
The commission said that its report on formulating a new province has been finalised and signed by all and it will be presented in the National Assembly next week.
A member of the commission told APP outside the Parliament House on Saturday that the commission has decided to include Mainwali and Bhakkar districts would in the new province of Bahawalpur South Punjab. He added that the bill was drafted keeping in view all matters related to a new province, including the distribution of financial resources.
Chairman of Commission Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the nation would soon hear good news of the new province.
MNA and Commission Member Jamsheed Dasti said the new province was a demand from the people in south Punjab and Bahawlpur. To a question, he said all members of the Commission had played their role in the preparation of the report and he hoped that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz will support the bill for creating Bahawalpur South Punjab province.
Parliamentary commission unlawful: Khwaja Asif
Even as the government seemed to make progress in the matter of creating a new south Punjab province, PML-N’s Khwaja Asif told Express News that unless members of Punjab Assembly are involved in the decision or the matter is initiated from Punjab Assembly, any action in this regard by the centre is contrary to the Constitution.
“Punjab Assembly has already passed a resolution on the Bahawalpur province. If the centre does any activity on the creating new administrative units from existing provinces, this is constitutionally incorrect.”
Asif criticised the make up of the parliamentary commission, saying the chairman of the commission, Farhatullah Babar, was from Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. He termed the entire activity as unlawful, a farce and an act to get more votes.
“We [PML-N] are in favour of creating new provinces along administrative lines. If they are created along ethnic lines, then this will harm the nation,” Asif said.
“I think this is an issue associated with the elections and will die down with elections.”
The PML-N leader said that his party intended to create a new province in Punjab but “not like this."
Altaf wants new province before elections
In a statement released on Saturday, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain demanded that the new Bahawalpur South Punjab province should be created before the general elections.
Altaf urged President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to consider the matter of a south Punjab province seriously so that the demands of south Punjab residents are fulfilled immediately.
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people are thinking that if we divide punjab we will rule on pakistan cannot achived their goal. if punjab divide into two or three then seats of senate will aslo increase , Question : kalabagh dam is demand aries from southren punjab not from tahktay lahore. balwalpure will be next province one day.
jibran the punjab assembly passed the resolution for two provinces. one for bahwalpur province and one for south province punjab. now the commision on the new provinces has recommended one province mixing both of the provinces.....
who has given right to ppp altaf hussain pmlq to divide my province? This is all drama just to spoil PMLNs mandate and to throw imran khans mianwali constituency into south punjab. why dont they divide sindh in to 2 pieces mahajirs and sindhis and balochistan in to pashtuns and balochis? why only punjab ... ?????????
The ethnic debate till now! http://www.literacy.gop.pk/images/downloads/litmappunjab.jpg I just came across this website showing the optimistic literacy rate of Punjab. The proposed province comprises of the least literate districts. But it is home of the wealthiest ago-industrial families owning the most fertile and resource rich land. In the last 65 years they have ruled indirectly; with their own province, who is going to ask them about their affairs! So, the rich clan will keep their hold on illiterate people and their sons and daughters will enjoy honeymoons anywhere in the world. New province will demand new proper strategies for proper distribution of water/energy/crops/other resources. Before creating a new province a proper resource distribution plan, in accord with other provinces, should be presented to the people of Pakistan (National level planning : something this government is not good at!). Then a referendum should be conducted at district level; if a district wants to be part of the new kingdom or not. These are some observations! God bless Pakistan.
I myself is originally Seraiki. Before partition Bahawalpur state was self sufficient and very rich and it succeeded with Pakistan with the provision that it will remain a separate province (administrative state). But later it was merged in One-Unit and all the earnings of our area is diverted to Lahore. Now, you see there are only 2 universities in Multan & Bahawalpur. No industrialisation was done by the government and area is dipping in to deep poverty and illitracy. We don't want this partition based on our language or ethnicity, we just want our due rights in terms of wealth, education, infrastructure & health care. Why government wants to merge Bhakkar, Mianwali, Jhang in this province? we never demanded that.
Frankly, the Punjab province should see division into smaller administrative units for economic welfare of the citizens. This division will give the Raiwind Raja a poke where it hearts the most...his pride. Similar divisions for Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa must be undertaken NOT on ethnic lines. The PPP has not done anything practical in its five years except exploit the citizens. Salams
Bravo to PPP. Now we are waiting for the days when we will be free from exploitative cluthches of "takht -e- Lahore". Freedom is basic right of every individual. We, the Saraikis" want fair share in civil,military bureaucracy. Enough of exploitatation from "takht-e-Lahore". Long live Pakistan.
@Pakhtunyar:
Its telling that such comments tend to come mostly from people who are not from Punjab. The real problem with us Punjabis is that everyone else can heap scorn on us and we just accept it as if its the right thing to do. We should stand up against this non sense.
Not going to happen.
PML N will pass a resolution in Punjab assembly to say the move us illegal. Otherwise PML N will also be confined to dustbin.
Meanwhile , IK with two Mukhdooms in his party is mum .
There are only few days left for this government. Instead of this election stunt the matter should have been left for new parliament. Can Pakistan afford to have two secretariats , Governor house, parliament and an army of ministers like in Baluchistan. Please have mery on Pakistan.
Bhakkar is equidistant from Bhawalpur and Lahore , so only reason for this new Province i.e.proximity to capital nd law makers to the people. doesn't hold ground in case of Bhakkar. Feudalism will further flourish here .
Congrats to the people of Southern Punjab, for at last will get rid of the cruel exploitation.
@pukhtunyaar I live in Multan and it seems and it seems you are living on another land where ignorance is a bliss. Just visit Multan and even in Multan Jatt bradari along with their subtribes are in majority. Also Maliks, Sheikhs,Bosans,Butts,Abbasis,Khwajas,Rajputs,Kharals,Khars,Bhatti,Bajwas all are same tribes who live in upper Punjab and they are the ones who are mostly living in Multan as well. Language dielect does not make you a different person but it is your culture , way of life, your history that makes you identify with some identity.
One of the best moves from the President. Politically motivated? May be, but if someone is saying its illegitimate, am not so sure. If they can pass a resolution from the Punjab assembly, it means the people want it. If the they can pass it from the the NA ... it would mean the nation wants it.. simplez...
Personally, I think it will be one of the biggest achievements of the president. People would argue but given the conditions, I think he has ben going a great job.
Bhutto lost half country in 70s for his powers n now his jiyalas bent on dividing whole pakistan in order to rule. We are destined to doom.
why not give provincial status to kashmir, gilgit baltistan & fata area? don't they deserve to become provinces as well.
And they'll destroy, divide, split, shred this country into pieces to save 'their jamoohriat' and 'seats'. What do we call such creatures? Vultures I suppose!
Great move, it will emancipate the people of Southern Punjab from the exploitation at the hands of Punjabis. Punjabis should not compare Punjab's division with other provinces. After all, you r 56% population, it needs two provinces to be run efficiently and just distribution of the resources. Congrats to the people of Southern Punjab, for at last will get rid of the cruel exploitation.
The more provinces are created, the less problems will be on the Federal Capital.
There is a legitimate demand of people to create more provinces, but this does not mean that Pakistan as a whole become weak.
Look at the USA, how many states are there and all are united under one US flag.
Similarly, in zpakistan when more provinces are created, people have more say into it and all the provinces will be united under one Pakistani Flag.
Good move though politically motivated.
I am happy that with this move Punjabis will awake and finally they will go back to their roots and will ultimately dump the language of farangi that is Urdu and will ultimately make Punjabi the Official language of Punjab just like local languages are a norm in other provinces. On the name of Urdu already we have slaughtered our Punjabi Authors and literature and only to have a cloak of fake Pakistaniat with Urdu upon us. But if someone is thinking that they will make Punjabis weaker then keep dreaming. Now people will realize that what our identity us and that will make us stronger and more aware of our culture and rich history.
Pun-jab: Jab for the Bahwalpur people and a pun for the regular Punjabis. Politicians never fail to amaze!
Shame on PPP for doing nothing else other than creating new provinces on ethnic basis and making amendments to the constitution. They have done nothing for education, health, energy, transportation, terrorism, Baluchistan, etc. They are looting the wealth of the nation with whatever they have got. When will move forward ??? I am really becoming a pessimist. I don't see ray of hope, except darkness!!!
My family belong from Bhakkar and 80 percent of the population of Bhakkar is Punjabi and also Bhakkar is in Central Punjab next to Sahiwal and Sargodha that are all Punjabi Dominated regions . So on which grounds Farhat Ullah Babar who is from KPK decided our fate to include us in South Punjab. Farhat Ullah Babr is from KPK and he is not even from Punjab so why he is even deciding what to do with Punjab.!!!! Do Any Punjabi have the right to decide for KPK or Sindh and if we dont have any right there then no person of other province have the right to decide for our province then.!!!
PML-N shot itself in the foot. Punjab assembly has already passed resolution by more than two third majority to divide the province. Now only constitutional requirement is constitutional amendment by two thirds to make it the law.