The government triumphed in its attempt to pass the new province bill (24th Constitutional Amendment Bill 2013) in the Senate on Wednesday, bringing it one step closer to the creation of a new province in Punjab.
The bill, which must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament and approved also by Punjab Assembly before the president can sign it into law, smoothly sailed through the upper house – just days before National and the provincial assemblies complete their constitutional terms.
Be that as it may, the victory in the Senate is merely half the battle since the toughest legs for the bill lie ahead with stiff resistance expected in the National Assembly, where the government does not have the required two-thirds majority. If passed by the National Assembly, the bill will then be tabled in the Punjab Assembly.
It was not all smooth sailing during Wednesday’s proceedings. As expected, members belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), National Party (NP) and an independent senator from south Punjab, Mohsin Leghari staged walkouts to protest what they called a “political stunt” to lure voters in the upcoming polls.
“It [24th Amendment] is nothing but a political drama for 2013 general elections,” said Senator Ishaq Dar, adding that even though he is leader of the opposition in the Senate he was never approached for consultation on the issue.
Senator Mohsin Leghari argued that there was no constitutional provision for the creation of a new province. “If you want to carve a new province in Punjab then you will have to amend the Constitution first. Article239 only refers to the alteration of any province, which means that boundaries of any province could be altered but no new province can be created,” said Leghari.
PML-Q Senator Mushahid Hussain advised the government to be cautious while making decisions on the creation of a new province. “We should not open a Pandora’s box, whose consequences cannot be controlled later,” said Hussain.
“When you [government] cannot create new provinces then why you are playing politics with innocent people,” said National Party Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo.
In defence of the bill, Senator Farhatullah Babar, who was also the chairman of the new provinces commission, said the government’s move was a conscious and deliberate political initiative to address the genuine grievances and deprivations of the people of south Punjab.
“It is the right time to decide on a separate province. A decision delayed is not a problem avoided, it is a crisis invited,” said Babar.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement was the only opposition party which supported the bill while lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, Awami National Party and Balochistan National Party-Awami cast their votes in favour of the bill tabled by Law Minister Farooq H Naek.
Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl were not present during voting when 70 out of the 104 senators cast their vote in favour of the constitutional amendment.
The Defence Housing Authority Islamabad Bill, 2013, which provides for the establishment of a Defense Housing Authority in Islamabad, was also passed in Senate on Wednesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2013.