FORMATION OF NEW PROVINCE IS A GOOD
IDEA OR BAD IDEA
Dividend largest provinces in small and manageable provinces
is certainly a valid idea . In this way , will be solved the problems of the
public. Those who have to travel hundreds of miles for small jobs , now would
not be obliged to do so. Days and months of work will be done in hours and
days. The accessibility , ease , property , liability will be the core values
in the new formation . Which eventually gives relief to the public. Besides
that you will solve the social, economic and political conditions of people who
live in remote areas . The request for the establishment of new provinces is
the public demand , which appear as a result of injustice , violation of
rights, the socio-economic problems , lack of basic services , ignorance, and
especially when their basic problems were left unaddressed . New provinces will
answer all these problems with accessibility, responsibility and ownership .
Formation of new provinces or craving out of the province's
existing process is not new . It has been in practice for some time. Every time
the public will and their issues are considered criteria for the creation of
new territories . With head in the pages of history, you can easily find the
benefits of the creation of new territories. In the subcontinent , all the
movements for the status of the province, including those for the separation of
Sindh from Bombay , partition of Bengal , the state of the Province of North
West Frontier province full of governor had their roots in ethnic and
linguistic aspirations of the people .
In the development of Pakistan , infrastructure , education
, health services are limited to a few cities that are both the provincial and
the federal capital. It is interesting to note that economic development is the
reduction when someone moves from the center to other parts of the country.
Where there is more backwardness , there will be less development budgets . In
this situation the people of the worst areas are ill, when there is no drinking
water , no school for their children , no hospital for patients and ignorance
continues to politicians who usually sits in the provincial capital or federal
. These all factors create resentment among the masses. Current movement for
the creation of province is a popular public demand to solve their problems.
These movements are not new, but recently got a coverage due to vibrating means
and free of charge. It is not a political conspiracy or foreign -funded agenda
. People suffer losses due to inaccessibility , ignorance and the lack of
availability of basic services . When a person traveling from one corner of the
country to get medical treatment in a large hospital in the capital and on the
manner in which he loses his beloved. It creates a resentment that makes him
realize that , if such a hospital has been existed in his home town , he could
save his beloved . These incidents gives shape to the aspirations of people for
new provinces
Search for new provinces is not new, has traces in history.
Similarly it has both advantages and demerits. Recently this issue has gained
momentum . Its popularity reached new heights with a new wave of discussion was
initiated by experts across the country . Pakistan is a very diverse country;
formation of new provinces in this diverse nation is very difficult and
sensitive issue. International trend to create provinces follow two criteria:
the creation of new provinces to improve governance and service delivery , in the
second place , carve out new provinces of existing provinces to reduce ethnic
tensions . In short , having more provinces makes sense but it involves some
challenges , benefits and losses too. On one side will help in governance,
reduction ethnicity on the contrary, pose some challenges to national
integration .
It ' a moment of high for Pakistan , which has a traditional
society full of different kinds of inequality , prejudice and discrimination on
the basis of multifactorial came up with the idea of creating new provinces
over the years . The creation of new provinces is not a bad idea indeed to
facilitate the public to better administration , but the creation of provinces
: the political interests of a party, an ethnic or racial grounds is like playing
with the sovereignty of the country. Party activism and political support in
the formation of new provinces is a positive sign , but at the same time would
ignite a new discussion in other provinces too. We already have a war stricken
country , surrounded with enemies of terrorism , extremism , sectarian crisis
and other domestic issues that has weakened and exposed us to the great
disruption . In such circumstances , proposing the formation of the new
province would be last nail in the coffin in the sovereignty of the country.
Formation of new provinces is a good idea , but not at the expense of national
integrity . The creation of new provinces is a matter of political,
administrative and legal and must be settled in accordance with the law of the
country. Criteria must be adjusted in accordance with the needs of the natives
not to gain or sustain a particular ethnic group politics.
Already in 1948 , due to the growing threat of provincialism
, the founder of Pakistan said:
If we begin to think of ourselves as Bengalis , Punjabis,
Sindis , Balochis etc. Before Muslims and Pakistanis only incidentally then
Pakistan is bound to disintegrate . "
Founder of Pakistan has also realized that the first
partition to the threat of disintegration. He strongly prohibited the nation
thinking about ethnic lines . In the current situation , calling for new
provinces will become a political slogan , every corner of the country cries to
draw lines for new provinces . It raised some serious questions for the
national integration. Screams you hear from every corner of Pakistan for their
provinces, Sareiki , Hazarawal , Pashtuns , Mohajirs , Baloch are taking sides
in this game OWN PROVINCE . Pakistan has become the map graphic tempting to
draw lines . In fact a very painful situation for the keepers of Pakistan
ideology.
At the global level , training of new or existing provinces
dividend is in practice for some time. But following certain criteria and
objectives for the lines Draw on national map . It's not as easy as you think .
A great example of this is India and Nigeria in both cases , governments have
created new provinces , as and when the need has arisen . Since 2000 , India
has created at least six new provinces mostly for better management and
satisfying the needs of the public . Division of East Punjab in 1974 , in
Punjab , Hariyana and Himchal Pardesh , Jharkand Bihar and Uttar Pardesh
Uttarkand always powerful . Second example in the case of Nigeria, have
increased the number of provinces from 3 to 13 and then to 36 in a period of 60
years to reduce ethnic conflict and the dominance of any ethnicity . This has
helped Nigeria to break the dominance of the Hausa Fulani , the largest ethnic
group in Nigeria, which accounts for about 30 percent of the total population
but also to help the country become a stable democracy after being hit by a
dictatorship for over 20 years.
Good governance will certainly improve due to the close
interaction between the government representatives, officers, and privates .
Formation of new provinces reduces the distance between government departments
and individuals. Local issues will be highlighted more prominently , control
and balance the government officials will be an increase that will lead to good
governance. The creation of new provinces will be the beginning of a new era of
political emancipation , social and economic . Native will have direct access
to their political representatives , they can vote for the local population who
consider their rights. New industrial zones will be established , will create
job opportunities, and health and other basic services will be provided to the
masses. Indigenous Affairs and Agriculture will be promoted. All this will
bring prosperity in the region . The removal of the sense of deprivation among
the local population , new provinces will end the sense of deprivation among
the people. They will no longer feel inferior . Concept of the south, will be
finished internal and border areas . Poverty reduction is evident with the
formation of new provinces . The industrialization , promotion of local
products and agriculture will hamper the growing poverty . Educated get new
jobs ; farmer will reap more profit on their agricultural products.
Job opportunities will be increased with the creation of new
ministries , agencies at the provincial level . In accordance with provincial
government will work to establish new industrial zones in the provinces of the
new constitution that ultimately double fold employment opportunities . Third
urbanization will take place that opens up new avenues for local people to earn
a living .
Industrialization is one of the most important advantages in
the formation of new provinces . Every country has some cities where
industrialization is confided . But it is absolute that the new territories
always try local and foreign investors to establish the industry to seize new
market. Surely in the newly created provinces industrialization will take place
to improve the standard of living of the local population . Urbanization in the
new province and new cities will reduce the population pressure on other
megacities . Secondly, the masses can migrate to the nearest towns to urban use
of services of education, health and justice. It will save their time ,
resources and easy access to their city too . Government will build the
infrastructure for the proposed new provinces . Roads , hospitals, airports ,
courts, prisons and other services will be developed according to national
standards . It will certainly make life easier for the common person . Other
side of the coin says that the formation of new provinces is not feasible for
the highly diversified nation like Pakistan .
Division of existing provinces or creating new ones will
lead to disintegration. Pakistan has a very diverse society and is a rainbow of
cultures . To handle such a variety of ethnic diversity is only possible
through poking nationalism regionalism . As has been mentioned earlier that the
formation of new provinces on the basis of linguistic harms the country's sovereignty
. Therefore, the formation of new provinces will lead to the new provinces of
disintegration.Formation process is endless. If today Punjab is divided to form
new province of tomorrow's demands for the other parts of the country will be .
Nigeria has already witnessed this first government in 13 provinces divided by
3 and then to 36 in a period of 60 years. Now the country is divided into small
units with the federation weak .
Regionalism promote division if the new province should be
made on the basis of ethnic and linguistic diversity. Sindhi . Punjabi ,
Siraeki , Balochi , Hazaarwal would be considered as an identity that obscure
our nationalism. Increased regionalism will cause weak federation , which too
have negative impacts on solidarity and national integrity . In recent years ,
Pakistan has faced several ethnic and sectarian crisis . The formation of new
provinces will be the occasion of external forces and enemies of Pakistan to
support ethnic groups to ask for the land. In Balochistan various rebel
movements are supported by foreign hands who want to disintegrate Pakistan.
Siraeki - Punjabi , Sindhi - Mohajir , Baloch - Pashtoon are already having
strained relationship with each other, further division of the provinces will
lead to some horrible consequences . Pakistan's economy is crippling and can
not bear the heavy burden of the costs of new provinces . It ' true that the
provinces would require new buildings , human resources , financial resources,
but it would be wrong to say that our economy will be pushed further down.
Formation of new provinces is a great idea , but in the
other hand has raised serious questions relating to national integration. It is
a political issue and should be resolved by policy adjustments in accordance
with the law of the country. Provinces should not be created on the expense of
national integrity . There are some ways in which this problem can best be
solved. After changes 18a provinces are more empowered and financially stable
due to recent NFC award , the energies and resources can be directed towards
disadvantaged areas . Second, the adoption of good governance at the district
level can also solve some problems in the local public . Third, the devolution
of power through local government can be a better choice for the federal
government to address the grievances of the neglected areas of the country.
One can safely conclude from the above discussion that the
formation of provinces carries both benefits and costs. In a very diverse
country such as Pakistan, Formation of new provinces is a good idea but
challenging. It is very difficult to implement in a diversified nation .
Although some countries have experimented with success, but the Pakistani
society and the social sphere is completely different. If this training is
proposed for the welfare of the class without privileges in the remote areas of
the country , then there are alternatives such as good governance ,
strengthening of local governments and the further strengthening of the
existing provinces can bring prosperity . D ' on the other hand there is no
alternative to maintaining national integration , except nationalism which is
located in the United Pakistan.
Written By:
Dr Syed Hamood Ur Rehman
