Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday tabled 'The Constitution (Twentieth Amendment) Bill, 2012" in the National Assembly for creation of new provinces in the country. Through the bill, the MQM has proposed amendments to Article 1, 51, 106 and 239 of the Constitution for creation of new provinces, 'Hazara' in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 'Southern Punjab' in Punjab, (one or more provinces to be ascertained through a referendum).
As many as 12 bills were introduced while three bills were dropped during Tuesday's sitting of the National Assembly on Private Members' Day of the House. 'The Constitution (Twentieth Amendment) Bill, 2012' was tabled by MQM lawmaker Wasim Akhter in the Lower House of the Parliament. As the government did not oppose the Bill, the Speaker referred it to concerned Standing Committee of the National Assembly for further deliberation.
The Bill proposed that the allocation of general seats and seats for women to the newly carved out provinces, as provided under clause (1) of Article 51 and clause (1) of Article 106, shall be made on the basis of the population with the same proportion as it exists in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
According to objects and reason of the Bill, the overgrowth of population almost in geometrical proportion, increased demand for delivery of social services and the inaccessibility of the Chief Executive, his Cabinet Members and the bureaucracy including the law enforcement agencies, are the factors that have rendered dispensation of justice to the people of the far flung areas almost impossible. Besides administrative inconvenience, the cultural and social diversity within the ideological unity also necessitates grater harmony with a psychological bias.
Talking to reporters, MQM's deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Haider Abbas Rizvi, said that Altaf Hussain had fulfilled his promise made with the people of Hazara Division and south Punjab. He said that his party was against creation of new provinces on ethnic and linguistic grounds but it wanted new administrative units.
Parliamentarians from Harzra Division appreciated the role of MQM and thanked it for tabling the Bill in the House for creation of Hazara province. They said that all the members from Haraza would fully support MQM for creation of Hazara province.
Sardar Shahjehan Yousuf of PML-Q from Mansera thanked MQM and said that all leaders and members of the Parliament from Hazara were with MQM for creation of the new province. He also thanked the government for not opposing the Bill. MNA Farzana Mushtaq Ghani of PML-Q praised MQM and requested the concerned standing committee to present it report on the bill at the earliest.
Khurram Jahangir Watto introduced five private bills including 'The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) bill, 2012', 'The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2012,' 'The Civil Services (Qualification for Appointment as High Court Judge) (Repeal) Bill, 2012,' 'The Constitution (Twentieth Amendment) Bill, 2012' and 'The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2012' in the House.
About 'The Constitution (Twentieth Amendment) Bill, 2012,' Khurram Jahangir Watto said that the appointment of members of the Civil Service of Pakistan was practically impossible as no civil servant belonging to any service was performing functions as District and Sessions Judge, which was necessary for his consideration and elevation as a judge of a high court.
He said that it was necessary to omit the paragraph (b) of clause (2) of Article 193 of the Constitution to make the Constitution in the line with judicial pronouncements, which was only now creating ambiguity and confusion to an ordinary reader of the Constitution. Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho introduced two bills, 'The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2012' and 'The Passport (Amendment) Bill, 2012.'
Similarly, 'The Political Parties Order (Amendment) Bill, 2012,' 'The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012,' 'The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2012' and 'The Reservation of Quota for Residents of Islamabad Capital Territory (Provincial Services) Bill, 2012' were also introduced in the Lower House of the Parliament. Deputy Speaker National Assembly Fasial Karim Kundi referred all these bills to concerned Standing Committees of the National Assembly for further deliberations.