The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Monday submitted the “20th Constitutional Amendment Bill” in the National Assembly for making Hazara a separate province and carving out province/provinces out of Punjab. According to the text of the bill, six districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mansehra, Abbotabad, Kohistan, Haripur, Batagram and Toor, should be merged to form Hazara province, while 22 districts of southern Punjab have been identified for new provinces. The bill suggested amendments in sub-clause of Article 239 of the Constitution and Article 1.
The bill pertaining to province/provinces in south Punjab stated that province/provinces should be made on the basis of districts or divisions, adding that their names should be selected as per the opinion of the people through referendum. Addressing a news conference later, MQM Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar said the people should be given their rights. He said the situation in Punjab was demanding the creation of new provinces. “National consensus is required on the issue … therefore the MQM is approaching other parties,” he said, adding that the formation of new provinces was imperative. To a question, he warned against a Balochistan-like situation if the provinces of Hazara and southern Punjab were not created immediately.
Batgram, Toor and Kohistan are pashtun areas therefore they should not be included in Hazara Province as we want pure hindko province.
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