Another Province: Federation issued notice on petition

The new petition says Bhakkar residents are not willing to join the new province.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notice to the federation of Pakistan on a petition challenging the report of a parliamentary commission to form another province.

The court scheduled further hearing on the petition for Friday (today) along with other petitions on the same issue. Three petitions of a similar nature are already pending before the court.

The new petition, filed by Advocate Muneer Chohan of Bhakkar district, said Bhakkar residents were not willing to join the new province. The lawyer said any decision regarding the formation of another province lacked legal authority without proper representation from elected representatives of Bhakkar and Mianwali.

He said the parliamentary commission formed in this regard was illegal and unconstitutional. Chohan said there was no provision in the Constitution for creating another province.

According to the Article 239(1) of the Constitution, the lawyer said, provincial boundaries can be altered but no new province can be made.

He prayed the court to declare the commission and its report illegal and unconstitutional.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2013.