ISLAMABAD, March 28: Speakers at a symposium on Monday warned policymakers of a 1971-like situation if sense of deprivation among provinces was not addressed once and for all. They said the Lahore Resolution 1940 ensured provincial autonomy and socio-economic system based on equality.

The symposium on ‘The Lahore Resolution 1940 and Delhi Resolution 1946’ was held to discuss the relevance of the two-nation theory in the changing global order as well as the relevance of Pakistan in the changing geo-political scenario. The event was presided over by Federal Minister Mehmood Ali.

Leader of the Independent Democratic Group and former federal minister Syeda Abida Hussain said till 1998, 48,000 acres of best agricultural land was awarded to military highups only in the Punjab. She said rampant poverty in the country was due to the myopic policies of the military establishment which always remained in power in Pakistan.

She said there was no need to transfer the capital from Karachi to Islamabad, but Ayub Khan did so in order to keep himself in touch with the GHQ in Rawalpindi. Had the amount spent on building the new capital for a few elites been utilized on education of the people, the situation would altogether have been different today, she added.