Representatives of various political and religious parties on Thursday observed that the formation of new provinces was the only way for the country to progress and resolve the enormous issues being faced by its public.
The speakers expressed their views during a national conference on the formation of new provinces organised by Subah Hazara Tehreek at a local hotel. The conference, aimed at promoting harmony amongst the public to facilitate the formation of new provinces, was attended by a large number of politicians and prominent among them were PPP leaders Senator Jahangir Badar, Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Advisor to the prime minister Syed Qaim Shah, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader and former deputy speaker Sardar Muhammad Yaqub, All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) leader Ahmad Raza Qasuri and Sunni Ittehad Council leader Peer Kamal Shah.
The speakers observed that according to the constitution of the country every citizen should have equal work opportunities. They said it had now become a need to bring in the 20th amendment and to form the separate provinces of FATA, Potohar, Hazara Seraiki province and to restore the Bahawalpur province. They unanimously announced that they would kick off a peaceful movement for the formation of these provinces.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Secretary General Jahangir Badar said that the PPP-led government was consulting with all political leaders and parties for the formation of new provinces and considering the movements for new provinces seriously. He pointed out that the president and prime minister had given assurances about the formation of Hazara province before the next elections. He said that the government wanted to run all the affairs according to the public will. Badar said further that in the last core committee meeting this issue had also been discussed. “The people will see the positive consequences of these consultations,” he said. Senator Wajid Ali Durrani on the occasion said that some circles had the wrong concepts that the formation of new provinces would put more financial burden on the state, adding that the new provinces would lessen the administrative and financial burden of the government. Durrani said it would also promote peace in the country. “The Constitution states that every citizen has the right to equal resources for progress,” he said.
Other speakers were of the view that the whole world had formed provinces according to the changing needs of the population but the Pakistani government did not try to take the ideal steps in this regard.
