Islamabad (HRNW) — Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said that new provinces should be created if they are necessary for Pakistan’s national interest, better governance and improvement of the administrative system.
Sharing a video of a private television programme on social media, the federal minister said the beginning of a positive, serious and meaningful debate on the creation of new provinces was welcome. He said all political parties and citizens should participate in discussions on this important national issue.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said decisions regarding the creation of provinces should be made through national consensus and cannot be imposed on any particular group or region.
He said the matter concerns Parliament and therefore requires detailed debate and consultation in the legislature. Political parties, he added, should rise above their partisan interests and give priority to the broader interests of Pakistan and its people.
Referring to India, the federal minister said a commission on the reorganisation of states was established there in 1950, following which administrative units including Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab emerged from the former Punjab region.
He maintained that if the creation of new provinces serves administrative efficiency, better public services and the national interest, it should be considered. However, if such a process risks creating division or instability, differing opinions are natural.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhry stressed that this sensitive issue should move forward through open debate, broad consultation, political consensus and the constitutional process.
Human Rights Angle
From a human rights perspective, HRNW believes that any reorganisation of administrative units should ultimately serve the people by improving access to justice, healthcare, education, employment and other essential public services. Public participation, equal rights, fair distribution of resources and protection of constitutional rights should remain central to any decision concerning new provinces.
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Disclaimer
This report is based on the statement of Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and available information. The creation of new provinces remains a matter of political and constitutional debate, and the statement does not represent a final government decision.
