Demand for new administrative units: MQM urges government to set up parliamentary commission

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Saturday urged the PML-N government to constitute a parliamentary commission for considering the demands for new administrative units not only in Sindh, but also in other provinces of the country.
"All the countries have to create new provinces and administrative units with increase in population, but unfortunately it did not happen in Pakistan so far. The demand for creation of new administrative units and provinces by MQM is not new...it has put resolutions and a bill for new provinces of South Punjab and Hazara in the National Assembly," MQM Rabita Committee Member Mina Mohammad Ateeq said this while addressing a news conference.
He said Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has also presented a resolution in the National Assembly for the province of South Punjab. People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have also got through a resolution from Punjab Assembly for new provinces - South Punjab and Bahawalpur.
He said today Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chief Tahirul Qadri has also made the demand for establishing 36 new provinces, while PTI also talked about new administrative units. "PTI leaders talk about creation of new administrative units in the country, but they are opposing the same in Sindh. It is double standard and bias thinking," he said.
The MQM leader said that people are raising their voice for new provinces such as South Punjab in Punjab, Hazara in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and South Pakhtunkhawa in Balochistan. He said there is also deprivation among people of urban areas in Sindh; hence it is necessary to create new provinces to end deprivation among people and transfer power at the grass-roots level.
He said it is a reality that the economy of the country would stabilise with the creation of new provinces. Similarly, he said that when new provinces are created in Sindh, especially Karachi, which is economic hub and earns more than 70 percent revenue of the country then why the aspiration of the people of Karachi are not being given due weightage.
The MQM leader said there is need for new provinces in Sindh along with others in Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. Answering a question, he said that local bodies' elections should be held immediately in the country. He said local government is essential to resolve the problems of people at their doorsteps.