As a part of its political strategy, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led opposition is likely to table a resolution in the Punjab Assembly for the creation of new Saraiki province.
The resolution will be a double-edged sword for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) because despite its support for new provinces, the party thinks the move has been designed to confine their political remit.
As the PPP government is toying with the idea of Saraiki province while mulling its feasibility, the party’s modus operandi seems to be tabling the landmark resolution in the Punjab Assembly in the coming days.
In that case the PML-N would have limited options. If the party goes against the resolution, it will incur the displeasure of its members of provincial assembly (MPAs) from southern Punjab and even revolt against the PML-N leadership. And if the PML-N supports the resolution, the PPP would have little problem in the formation of a new province.
PML-N’s stalwart Javed Hashmi, who hails from southern Punjab, has made it known to his party’s top command that he would vote in favour of the new province. Hashmi has also turned down the position taken by the Punjab chief minister over the issue in a recent media interaction in London in which he had said the federal government was doing it to cover up its corruption and bad governance.
Sources disclosed that while the PPP leadership has decided in principle to press ahead with the Saraiki province, it is weighing the two options it has. The first is to create the new province through a direct announcement, which legally and constitutionally is justified before going to parliament. The second is setting up of a commission to oversee formation of the new province.
“I think the setting up of a commission would be like opening Pandora’s Box. A debate for and against the move will ensue. In this case, the issue will be dragged into new controversies. It is most likely that the president or prime minister will make a direct announcement,” claimed a senior political leader privy to the developments in this regard.
Recently, PPP leader Babar Awan too has excitedly told the media that Saraiki people would hear good news during the holy month of Ramadan.
The party sources say they are not quite sure how credible Awan’s statement is. They, however, are sure that the resolution will be tabled in the Punjab Assembly soon— maybe by the start of its next session.
