“Formation of new provinces is the need of the hour and our party has already supported Provinces of Hazara and Bahawalpure and if there is possibility of more provinces, they should be formed immediately”. This was stated by President Pakistan Muslim League and Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Senator Salim Saifullah Khan in a statement issued from PML Central Secretariat.
He also warned that the formation of these provinces should not be on ethnic basis as it will augment ethnicity in the country and would open new Pandora’s Box; rather they should be formed on administrative basis.
The Senator said that the administrative map of Pakistan had undergone various changes since 1947.
He said “in an effort to improve governance, we should be geared towards continuous improvements to the system and the realignment of the administrative units such as provinces, divisions, districts and Tehsils”.
He further said that splitting the provinces into more compact, efficient and effective units would also have the added benefit of reducing the importance of Provincies, which interfered with the cohesion of the country as one nation.
He said that provincial slogans would be replaced by national slogans and everyone would be a Pakistani instead of Pashtoon, Punjabi, Sindhi or Baluch.
He highlighted if the provinces were formed on administraive basis, then politicians who raise provincial slogans would lose their charm and these slogans would become irrelevant and they would also lose the power to divide the country into racial blocks.
He said that formation of provinces on the administrative grounds would negate provincialism, promote nationalism, harmony and the country would be on the path of development.
He said “India had 35 provinces; Afghanistan had more than 26 provinces then why not Pakistan should have more provinces”.