KARACHI, June 29: Sindh Minister for Education and Literacy Dr Hamida Khuhro on Wednesday observed that dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971 was the result of lack of harmony and understanding among provinces. She was addressing the second session of a seminar on Inter-provincial harmony organized at a local hotel by the Inter-Provincial Coordination Department.

The minister said: “Although we live in a fast era of communication, which has turned the world into a global village by reducing distances, here the case is contrary to it as the distance between provinces is growing.”

She referred to her article on the 1971 debacle, which had suggested that until and unless Punjab gave rights to smaller provinces, the country could not attain stability. She pointed out that such a demand was coming today from every quarter but the situation had remained unchanged so far.

“The Punjab has majority in parliament and bureaucracy, and it dominates all sectors, therefore, there would be no change in the situation unless Punjab itself accedes to the demands and gives rights to the smaller provinces,” she stressed.

Dr Khuhro recalled that Muslim League was the party that had struggled for Pakistan and succeeded. “Now when the PML is in power, it should seize the opportunity to do something and take the steps that could bridge the gap between provinces.”

Speaking as chief guest, Sindh Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed told the seminar that taking up the issues like NFC Award and water distribution with the federal government was out of scope of the Inter-provincial Coordination Department. Discussing such issues at this platform also would develop ill-feelings among the federating units, he added.

“I myself avoid issuing statements on the NFC and other issues so that there is no public debate that could harm the inter-provincial harmony,” he said, suggesting that the job of this department was to bring all provinces closer to each other for reaching a consensus on the NFC Award.

The finance minister stressed that it was the responsibility of the IPC minister and officials to see that all provinces got together before the finalization of the NFC and the people having interest in the issue prepared the ground work for the NFC members.

He said this would help resolve the issues at the NFC’s preliminary sessions.

He described holding of such a seminar as a step in the right direction, and hoped that it would help create awareness and understanding of issues.

People, he emphasized, must realize the significance of the inter-provincial coordination department’s existence and working.

“We, too, are trying to comprehend these things,” the minister said, adding that in the next seminar of this kind, two-three ministers, and some MPAs and journalists from other provinces should also be invited.

He suggested that seminars must be organized on every dispute having relevance to inter-provincial coordination.

Problems and issues could be resolved only when all the provinces sat together. “No issue can be resolved through trading allegations, rather, this would only lead to multiplication of disputes.”

He said that solution to all disputes lied in holding discussions and seminars. One should not play politics, but politics of economy.

Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Safdar Sarki said it was Sindh that had created a new ministry with this name as per the directive of President Musharraf, who wanted the four provinces to settle minor issues at their own level and develop harmony among themselves.

He said that law and order, combating crime in border areas, and other such issues were being sorted out through inter-provincial coordination. “My department has recently sent a letter to the border forces, immigration and FIA for taking steps to check influx of aliens in Sindh,” he said.

Secretary of the IPC department Aftab Memon said that in the absence of the Council of Common Interests, this department bore great responsibility in taking up the matters that were of Sindh’s interests.

He stated that his department had planned a ‘Coordination Train’ that would carry Sindh’s elected members, media people and others to the other three provinces for interaction with people there.

Forest Secretary Mehmood Ahmed Khan said the IPC department could take up with the federal government the issue of issuing hunting licences to foreign dignitaries. He pointed out that at present, the licences were being issued by the federal government, which would also declare hunting areas in provinces. “As a matter of fact, this is a provincial subject,” he said.

Naib City Nazim Tariq Hassan, Mehmood Sham and Prof Raees Alvi were among others who spoke at the seminar.—PPI/APP