Sindh Solidarity Conference: ‘Constitution has no provision for new provinces’
The participants were of the view that such demands should not be taken seriously.
KARACHI:
The participants of the ‘Sindh Solidarity Conference’ agreed that there is no provision in the Constitution for the creation of a new province.
The demand of the new province in Sindh is a political gambit to get the attention of the voters, said a participant. Referring to the Pakistan Resolution and the Constitution of 1973, Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, who was also a member of the constitution committee during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s tenure, said that there is no space for any new province.
“All states which joined Pakistan were assured of their autonomous and sovereign positions,” he said, adding that during the first 10 years after its creation, the country remained in political turmoil.
He recalled that it was promised while drafting the 1973 Constitution that more powers would be given to provinces after 10 years. “But what had happened then?” he questioned.
The conference which was attended by nationalists and political parties was organised by the Sindh Bachayo Committee (Save Sindh Committee) at the Regent Plaza Hotel on Monday.
The participants were of the view that such issues as the demand for new provinces should not be taken seriously. “This is not a big issue and we should not take it seriously as the Constitution doesn’t allow for creation of a new province,” said former Sindh chief minister, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim. “Actually, the issue has been created to draw the attention of voters.”
He also pointed out what will happen with those Urdu-speaking people who live in other parts of the province when such a demand surfaces. “They will feel insecure there,” he added, saying that it is not a good decision to create rifts among different ethnic groups for political gains.
Renowned lawyer Rashid A Rizvi said that those who talk about the creation of a new province actually want to weaken the political system in the country. He added that just like the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other political parties are also trying to weaken the system.
“It seems impossible to create rifts between Sindhis and Urdu-speaking people as they have strong social contacts,” said Nawab Rashid Ali Khan, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F).
Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan’s Maulana Owais Noorani said that the demand for the division of Sindh amounts to an uprising against the state. “But the establishment is silence over the issue,” he added.
“We need to consider who is creating rifts amongst us,” said renowned writer Dr Aliya Imam.
Sikandar Khan Yousufzai, a leader of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, said that the Pashtu people will support the Sindhis against the division. “We have concerns for our people in Karachi as we have been living here for several years.”
Several senior political leaders, including Ellahi Bux Soomro and former Sindh chief minister Syed Ghaus Ali Shah also spoke and said that it is not possible to create a new province within Sindh.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Irfanullah Marwat, Haji Shafi Jamot, PML-F’s Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, lawyers, civil society activists, writers, political workers and others also attended the conference.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2014.
The participants of the ‘Sindh Solidarity Conference’ agreed that there is no provision in the Constitution for the creation of a new province.
The demand of the new province in Sindh is a political gambit to get the attention of the voters, said a participant. Referring to the Pakistan Resolution and the Constitution of 1973, Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, who was also a member of the constitution committee during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s tenure, said that there is no space for any new province.
“All states which joined Pakistan were assured of their autonomous and sovereign positions,” he said, adding that during the first 10 years after its creation, the country remained in political turmoil.
He recalled that it was promised while drafting the 1973 Constitution that more powers would be given to provinces after 10 years. “But what had happened then?” he questioned.
The conference which was attended by nationalists and political parties was organised by the Sindh Bachayo Committee (Save Sindh Committee) at the Regent Plaza Hotel on Monday.
The participants were of the view that such issues as the demand for new provinces should not be taken seriously. “This is not a big issue and we should not take it seriously as the Constitution doesn’t allow for creation of a new province,” said former Sindh chief minister, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim. “Actually, the issue has been created to draw the attention of voters.”
He also pointed out what will happen with those Urdu-speaking people who live in other parts of the province when such a demand surfaces. “They will feel insecure there,” he added, saying that it is not a good decision to create rifts among different ethnic groups for political gains.
Renowned lawyer Rashid A Rizvi said that those who talk about the creation of a new province actually want to weaken the political system in the country. He added that just like the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and other political parties are also trying to weaken the system.
“It seems impossible to create rifts between Sindhis and Urdu-speaking people as they have strong social contacts,” said Nawab Rashid Ali Khan, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F).
Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan’s Maulana Owais Noorani said that the demand for the division of Sindh amounts to an uprising against the state. “But the establishment is silence over the issue,” he added.
“We need to consider who is creating rifts amongst us,” said renowned writer Dr Aliya Imam.
Sikandar Khan Yousufzai, a leader of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, said that the Pashtu people will support the Sindhis against the division. “We have concerns for our people in Karachi as we have been living here for several years.”
Several senior political leaders, including Ellahi Bux Soomro and former Sindh chief minister Syed Ghaus Ali Shah also spoke and said that it is not possible to create a new province within Sindh.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Irfanullah Marwat, Haji Shafi Jamot, PML-F’s Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, lawyers, civil society activists, writers, political workers and others also attended the conference.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2014.