Rabbani opposes new provinces on administrative basis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party Senator Mian Raza Rabbani has opposed the creation of new provinces on the administrative basis, saying that such idea was conceived by the state to counter nationalist movements and voices for provincial autonomy.

“The talk of creation of new provinces on administrative basis is strongly opposed on historical, linguistic and ethnic considerations,” he said in a statement on Monday.

Apparently Rabbani’s statement came in a reaction of interview of Senate Deputy Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi interview to private channel in which he talked about the creation of nine new provinces on the administrative basis.

Rabbani said today the talk of additional provinces is being floated to roll back the 18th Amendment and the introduction of a presidential form of government.

The PPP leader said the talk of creation of new provinces on administrative basis is to an extent was implemented through the local bodies during the Musharraf regime, but it failed.

He said a tinkering with the 1973Constitution will spell disaster as a national census on constitutional issues, particularly provincial autonomy, will not be achievable, adding that this will create political instability leading to greater economic instability. “The state must learn from the mistakes of the past and more so from the recent past,” he said.