The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members in the National Assembly on Monday said their party was not against creating new provinces in the county on administrative grounds but would oppose any move based on ethnic or linguistic lines. Meanwhile, the National Assembly could not proceed as per agenda as the ruling and opposition members exchanged hot words over the issue of creating new provinces. Speaking on a point of order, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar said his party would support new provinces if they were created while following the procedure set in the Constitution.
“All parliamentarians have taken oath to remain faithful to the Constitution, which gives a clear process to create new provinces and the PML-N will not oppose if the process is followed,” he said. Similarly, Saad Rafique, also a PML-N member, said new provinces were acceptable only if formed on administrative basis. “It is true that large provinces are not manageable but it is the Parliament to decide either a province, like Balochistan, should be divided on the basis of area or population like Punjab,” Saad said.
Gul Muhammad Jakhrani, raising another point of order, said the people of Sindh would not allow any compromise on the historical integrity of Sindh.
