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LABy Iftikhar A. Khan 

Senator Durrani introduced the legislation hoping that smaller sub-units will prove easier to develop and service — APP photo.

ISLAMABAD: A draft bill seeking to amend the Constitution to facilitate the process of creating new provinces with a simple majority of the parliament was submitted with the Senate secretariat on Thursday.

The bill which seeks to make the procedure of the formation of new provinces simple and reflective of the wishes of the people of the country for faster development of the country was submitted by former Federal Minister for Information, Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani.

‘It is imperative to form new Provinces of a manageable size. This will not only make the administration easy but the under-developed areas will be able to make rapid progress,’ Durrani said addressing a press conference here after submitting the bill.

He said he had introduced the bill as there is a very difficult and lengthy procedure to form a new province, whereas, as compared to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Constitution of other developed countries provides simple procedures for this purpose.

‘This bill would facilitate the process and by making this bill a part of the Constitution, the respective province or Senate could pass a resolution with a simple majority for creation of new province. Later, the Parliament would also need a simple majority to pass the bill,’ he added.

He said as per the Constitution, the parliament as well as the provincial assembly needs a two-thirds majority to create new province. However, this bill would facilitate this process.

‘India had 16 provinces but now it has created 12 new provinces for better management. This bill would empower Senate or the respective province to move a resolution for creation of new province and the parliament would also need a simple majority to pass the bill,’ he remarked.

Answering a question, Senator Durrani said the restoration of the provincial status ofBahawalpur would correct a historic wrongdoing by a dictator General Yahya Khan who had merged the Province into Punjab defying the commitment made by Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

He said the denial of rights to the people of Bahawalpur had badly affected the security and solidarity of the federation and time was ripe for the state to move for redressing the miseries of the poor and deprived.

Senator Durrani said there was sense of deprivation in the people living in the under-developed areas — especially in Southern Punjab and the only answer to the woes of the people was smaller units which could bring in better management and better delivery systems.

‘This bill would start a new process of creation of smaller provinces and administrative units. In first phase, Bahawalpur’s provincial status should be restored which should be followed by creating a new province comprising Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions. A total of 16 new provinces should be formed,’ he added.