KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said on Sunday that creating more provinces in Pakistan was in the larger interest of the 200 million people of the country and necessary for good governance.

He was speaking from London over phone to a meeting of Punjabi and Seraiki workers of his party at the Lal Qila ground.

He said new provinces and administrative units were being created all over the world in view of growing population. However, he added, in Pakistan this demand was being opposed just to maintain status quo.

“People of Bahawalpur are demanding for the restoration of their state, Seraikis want their own province, people of Hazara are demanding a province but no one is paying any heed.”

The MQM leader said former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had introduced quota system for rural and urban populations of Sindh for 10 years in 1973, but despite passage of 40 years the quota system was still in place.

He said new provinces should be created on the basis of one province for every 10 million people.

He said the local government system was essential for a democratic system, but rulers were not holding LG elections.

Mr Hussain said rulers had used Punjabi and Seraiki people in the name of Islam and Pakistan, but did not give them their rights.

He said some families were ruling the country in the name of democracy and instead of giving party tickets in elections to poor and middle-class youths they sent members of their families to parliament.

He condemned the killing of a Christian couple in Punjab and said this brutal incident was against the teachings of Islam.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2014