ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday night said that Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) was creating hurdles in the creation of new provinces in Punjab.
Talking to APP, he said that PML-N was not serious in creation of new provinces in Punjab and using delaying tactics.
Kaira said that the commission for the formation of new provinces in Punjab was formed in light of the PML-N's approved resolutions in Punjab Assembly and now PML-N and Punjab Government were back tracking from that resolution because they are not serious in creating new provinces.
He said that it was stressed in Punjab Assembly's resolution that the federal government should immediately form a national commission for the creation of new provinces.
Kaira said that Leader of the Opposition in Senate Ishaq Dar nominated Malik Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana for the commission, but later PML-N withdrew his name from the commission's membership.
He said that Punjab Assembly on May 9 approved two resolutions regarding revival of Bahawalpur province and creation of a new province called South Punjab Province, which were tabled by the PML-N in the assembly.
He said that the Commission was constituted in pursuance of the President's May 30 message to the Speaker National Assembly for the formation of a new commission and the commission was formed by the Speaker.
He said that the federal government did not form the commission on its own but it was created in light of the resolutions passed by the Punjab Assembly.
He said that the federal government followed the Punjab Assembly's resolutions and formed a commission and no other provincial assembly approved any resolution in this regard.
He said that if any other provincial assembly approved a resolution regarding the creation of a new province, the same commission would decide about it.
Kaira said the Punjab Assembly had demanded that the commission should look into the issues relating to the fair distribution of economic and financial resources, geographical demarcation, allocation/re-adjustment of seats in the National Assembly, Senate and the provincial assemblies concerned, including seats of minorities and women, and other constitutional, legal and administrative matters.