Call to make 14 provinces

LAHORE

TEHRIK-i-Istiqlal Central President Rehmat Khan Wardag has called for provincial autonomy in the country, stressing that every province must be divided administratively to put an end to the prevailing sense of deprivation among people.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr Wardag said Punjab must be divided into five parts, namely Potohar, Lahore, Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur. Besides, he said, all the other provinces of the country should be divided into three parts administratively as it would prove vital in solving the public problems.

Wardag said Sindh should also be divided into three parts, namely Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. He said Balochistan should be divided into Baloch, Pathan and Barohi parts whereas NWFP must be divided into Northern Abbotabad, Southern Dera Ismael Khan and Peshawar. He said the country must be divided into 14 parts administratively and federal government should only hold four departments, namely defence, finance, foreign affairs and communication.

To a question, Mr Wardag supported the construction of Kalabagh Dam, adding that all water reservoirs should be made under water vision 2016. He said the construction of water reservoirs would bring industrial and agricultural revolution in the country. To another query, he said the leaders who returned to Pakistan for assuming power should have brought their capital to the country as well which could have saved the country from the clutches of the International Monetary Fund.

When asked about the security situation in the country, he said since 1979, we had been fighting the war for the USA. He said when Air Martial (Retd) Asgher Khan raised the voice against the US intervention in the region and seeking revenge from Russia over Vietnam War, most of the religious and political parties declared Asgher Khan a Russian agent to garner favour of Ziaul Haq.

Chairperson Women Wing Nasreen Rauf, Mian Muhammad Afzal, Malik Muhammad Rafique, Muhammad Shahbaz and Muhammad Ashraf were also present.
The News: Saturday, July 11, 2009