Asif slams PPP's 'dual policy'
He said the concentration of power had made the current system obsolete and that it needed to be 'corrected'
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for its contradictory stance on creating new provinces and administrative units, stating that the concentration of power has made the existing system obsolete. Asif argued that the principle of devolution was already settled through the 18th Amendment but not fully implemented.
He suggested that Pakistan could either create new provinces or reorganize the existing administrative structure, including using the country's 36 divisions. Asif expressed concern over the PPP's support for a Saraiki province in Punjab and the potential emergence of Sindhudesh when discussing multiple provinces. The PPP denied an opportunity to present a resolution against the Sindhudesh movement, criticizing the MQM-P for attempting to mislead people.
Asif suggested he would investigate the PPP's dual policy further. The PPP, a key ally of the ruling PML-N, questioned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's silence on the debate over creating new provinces and sought his stance. The PPP's Sindh government passed a resolution opposing further division of the country's existing four provinces.
Some ruling-party leaders and federal cabinet members have expressed support for the idea, but Asif's criticism and the PPP's response highlight the ongoing debate over provincialism in Pakistan.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
