Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan on Sunday said it was too early to say when any move to create new provinces may materialize, noting it may take six to eight months for the matter to be debated in Parliament.
Addressing a press conference, he said every lawmaker would have an opportunity to voice their opinion if a formal proposal for new provinces was brought before Parliament. Following debate, he said, the matter could be referred to a relevant committee for detailed deliberations.
“There is still a lot of time before the issue of provincial division comes before Parliament,” he said, adding the debate could ultimately produce proposals for new administrative units or lead to discussion on local government elections.
Questioning the decision to initiate the debate at an economic forum, as was done by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, he said it was an inappropriate forum for projects involving major constitutional and political changes. “Those behind the project may have spoken to the PMLN, but if we have not introduced it, it does not mean we should stand against it with a stick,” he said.
Emphasizing that the PMLN had not proposed any division of provinces, he said the party had its own views on the matter. To a question, he said the party’s local leadership did not want Bahawalpur to be included in any proposed south Punjab, adding some wanted it as a separate province while others believed it should remain with Lahore.
To another question, he said the Pakistan Peoples Party had benefited politically from the debate over provincial division because its workers had become emotionally aligned with the issue. He noted a similar situation when the matter of new canals was raised, maintaining President Asif Ali Zardari had supported it but the PPP had subsequently mobilized public opposition leading to its shelving.
On reports of back-channel contacts with incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Sanaullah said it might be underway, but warned “there is a price” for adopting such a course and whoever chose it would have to pay that price.
To another question on differences with the interior minister, Sanaullah said the minister could be asked for an explanation when he spoke in the cabinet or Senate. He also rubbished a statement by Federal Minister Sheikh Qaiser, who had claimed he had not met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in months, saying they met in his presence every other day. “Some matters are meant for deliberation. Everything should not be made public,” he said.