Streets speak of CNG woes as NA debates new provinces

While people on the streets continued their protest against gas outages and closure of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations for the second consecutive day, major treasury and opposition political parties in the National Assembly locked horns on the creation of new provinces, and the issue triggered new political formations as the treasury and opposition benches stood divided.
Rivalry between two coalition parties – the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) – was exposed once again as both opposed each other on the demand for new provinces. Moreover, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) legislator Laiq Mohammed Khan joined the protesting MQM legislators seeking a debate on the party’s resolution for new provinces, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), FATA parliamentarians and some Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNAs also joined them by moving to the MQM benches and raising slogans for a debate on the creation of new provinces.
On the contrary, ANP leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour resisted tooth and nail a debate over the issue on the pretext that the National Assembly could not take up provincial matters, as PML-Nawaz lawmakers also supported the ANP’s position, but finally it was Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who made a passionate speech in favour of new provinces, which led to the decision that the House would debate the MQM’s resolution on Thursday.
It was the MQM’s Haider Abbas Rizvi who, on a point of order, sought permission from the chair for a debate on his party’s resolution, however, Bilour strictly rejected a debate stating that only provincial assemblies under the constitution could pass a resolution by two-thirds majority to create any new province. Rizvi claimed all political parties were taken on board in the resolution, after which his party had submitted it. He said he could not contact Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who did not attend the session. This triggered sloganeering in the House, with MQM lawmakers in the lead. At a time when the uproar increased, Yusuf Talpur, who was chairing the session, suspended the proceedings for 20 minutes but had to resume the session as the MQM legislators started desk thumping and demanding the start of the session.
On a point of order, Rizvi said the business of the House should be suspended to discuss the resolutions. Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah said his party was in favour of new provinces but proposed that it was a constitutional matter, hence, before discussing it in the House, the government would like to take on board other allied parties.
Sheikh Aftab of the PML-N suggested that before discussing the issue in the House, it should be taken up first at the Business Advisory Committee. “The matter is of great national importance and any haste in discussing it at this time will serve no good,” he said, adding that a non-issue was being made an issue. PML-Q’s Sheikh Waqas Akram supported the MQM’s point of view and said the creation of new provinces was necessary to address people’s problems in a better way.
Bilour said his party, the ANP, had never talked about the division of Sindh and Punjab, so others should also avoid talking about the division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). “Let the provincial assemblies discuss the formation of new provinces,” he said. But the MQM lawmakers kept on insisting that the issue should be discussed during Tuesday’s sitting.
Laiq Mohammed Khan said people of his area were not concerned about gas and electricity and the formation of a Hazara province was their main demand. He said his area was mineral-rich and two major dams were also located there. He said the message that was being given to the people of Hazara was that their demand was inadmissible for which a dozen youths had laid down their lives. “Today, the ANP has formally claimed responsibility for the killing of our 12 youths,” he said, adding that a Hazara province would also claim royalty from Tarbela Dam.
Pervaiz Khan of the ANP said his party would not allow a debate on the issue as they had suffered for 60 long years to get recognition for a Pakhtun nation. Bahadur Khan Seeher said that by opposing the resolution for a Saraiki province, the ANP had denied the struggle of Khan Ghaffar Khan and Wali Khan for recognition to nationalist forces. Munir Khan Orakzai called for the creation of FATA province, stating that the brave people of the tribal areas had decided that they would merge with Punjab but not allow the ANP to rule them. He alleged that the ANP leadership had sold the rights of its people to the US for millions of dollars.
Jamshed Dasti said the rulers of Lahore had made the people of Saraiki area beggars and all their resources were being used on development in central Punjab. He warned the Punjab government of a public uprising because of what he said was continued injustice being meted out to the Saraiki people. He demanded the inclusion of Dera Ismail Khan in a Saraiki province.
Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who was chairing the session at the time, expressed his gratitude to Dasti and Haider Rizvi for raising voice for the oppressed people of his city, Dera Ismail Khan. Abid Sher Ali of the PML-N made an emotional speech hitting out at Prime Minister Gilani’s claims of creating a Saraiki province. “Why don’t you talk about restoration of Bahawalpur province?” he argued. He said if the prime minister went to the market without protocol, the people may beat him up with sticks to show their anger against continued gas and power outages. “Where was your writ when around 4,000 citizens were killed on the streets of Karachi? Why doesn’t the prime minister go to remote areas of Sindh by road where no development work has been done?” he said.
Bushra Gohar of the ANP said her party supported the formation of a Saraiki province. Condemning the statement by Munir Aurakzai, she said that her party had raised its voice for the tribal people. Kamran Khan from FATA said the KP government was the most corrupt government according to the Transparency International report.
Syed Zafar Ali Shah said no migrant could claim a province. He said when voices were being raised for new provinces, the Sindhi people were afraid that someone might claim rights in their homeland.