Smaller provinces better for good governance'
Published: June 11, 2009
ISLAMABAD-PML-Q Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani on Wednesday termed
the large size of provinces as the “mother of all problems” in the
country, adding smaller provincial units would help deliver “good
governance and effective management at the grass root level.”
Talking to the journalists outside the Parliament House, Senator
Durrani said sense of deprivation can be removed only by cutting the
size of provincial units and making new provinces.
“This is the only doctrine which can address the sense of
deprivation whether it is in Balochistan or in Southern Punjab.
This can also give a new life to the federation and incorporate
vigour in the people living in the far-flung areas,” remarked the
former minister.
Senator Durrani said distances between the peoples within one
province and the failure of the provincial administration in
reaching out the people living in far away places and under
privileged classes were the major causes of the frailty of the
government’s writ in some areas of the country.
Making his point in favor of his demand, the former Information
Minister said that Pakistan had four provinces while Turkey had 83,
India had 28, Iran had 30 and Afghanistan had 34 provinces.
The smaller provinces can deliver in a better way be they rights or
matters relating with management, writ of the government, or
facilities to the peoples, he said.
For an inhabitant of Rahimyar Khan, Karachi is closer than Lahore
where the Punjab Secretariat is situated and the people of the area
have to travel more than 500 Kilometers to get their problems solved
or for the sake of relief” he remarked.
“The terrorists are also taking advantage of this sense of
alienation between the masses from the people at the helm of
affairs. Let us address all these issues with one stroke - by
creating smaller and new provincial units,” he concluded.
The Nation:
June 11, 2009 |
