Minister for Inter Provincial Co-ordination, Salim Saifullah Khan has said that government is considering no proposal to increase the number of provinces in country. Talking to a private television channel the Minister said rather the deliberation was being made over the years on provincial autonomy bill, which now has been evolved.
He said the bill would be presented in the next cabinet meeting in the Month of July. The Minister said that in the provincial autonomy bill the size of current list has been reduced and some more powers have been proposed for the Senate. To a question he said that former senator Saifullah Paracha has written a letter to President suggesting the number of province be increased.
The letter was referred to Cabinet Division by the Presidency but at government level there is no proposal under consideration in this regard. He however said that there is no harm in a debate on this issue by the media and press.
"In a neighbouring country the number of provinces have been increased, and this matter can also be thought about in Pakistan, the Minister said. He said the present government believes in provincial autonomy and a huge amount of Rs 500 billion has been allocated for the provinces adding these steps would help strengthen the federation unites financially.