New Provinces: PPP, ANP differ over creation of new federating units

Awami National Party (ANP), the main ally of the PPP-led coalition government, has turned its guns towards the PPP saying there is no provision in the Constitution about formation of new province in the country.

Having varying stance over the issue with the PPP, the ANP said that first a constitutional amendment was required for the creation of a new provinces and then any resolution be brought in parliament for debate.

Speaking to the media, ANP’s senior Vice-President Senator Haji Adeel claimed the Constitution only talks about the alteration of existing provinces. But, in his views, it was silent about creation of new federating units.

He pointed out that sub clause 4 of article 239 of the Constitution does not provide any provision about the formation of new provinces in the country but it is about the change in the limits and borders of the present provinces.

The sub clause reads, “A Bill to amend the Constitution, which would have the effect of “altering the limits of a Province”, shall not be presented to the President for assent unless it has been passed by the Provincial Assembly of that Province by the votes of not less than two-thirds of its total membership.”

Haji Adeel said MQM wanted to create differences among Pakhtuns by raising the issue of Hazara and FATA provinces. “MQM want to pit Pakhtuns against each others,” the ANP leader added.

He asserted that the MQM wanted to take revenge from the ANP because these were the forces standing and fighting against its terrorism in Karachi.

Replying to a query, the senior vice-president of the party said holding the elections of National Assembly and all provincial assemblies at the same time was not necessary.

“The chief ministers are not constitutionally bound to dissolve their assemblies if the prime minister does that with the National Assembly,” he said.

All of them (federation and provinces) are independent to dissolve their assemblies whenever they want or to complete their constitutional term, he made it clear adding the Election Commission is bound to hold election within 90 days after dissolution of the any assembly.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=8650

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Jan 10 2012. Filed under Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry