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Sunday, December 04, 2011
PML-N to support constitution of new provinces on administrative basisBy Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The manifesto committee of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has finalized its recommendations for the manifesto of the party for the next general elections sticking to the stance over creation of new federating units on administrative basis.
The largest opposition party, which has been in confrontation with the ruling PPP over the various national issues has expedited its work on the manifesto for the next elections, which are, though slated for 2013 could be held even before it in the backdrop the fast changing developments on the political landscape.
The manifesto committee of the PML-N comprising of Senator Ishaq Dar and MNAs Zahid Hamid and Khurram Dastagir Khan held its third meeting here on Saturday and finalized its recommendations for the new manifest to present it to the PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif and other relevant quarters of the party.
Sources told Daily Times that although the recommendations have been finalized on part of the manifesto committee, however final decision lies with the president of the party Mian Nawaz Sharif and any change in it could not be ruled out.
Sources said that apart from the other vital issues, one of the most important related to creation of new provinces, which has been a boiling issue in the present political scenario.
The PML-N led province of Punjab, the most populous federating unit of the country has been particularly targeted and voices have been raised from its Southern part, the Saraiki speaking population area for a separate province for them.
The ruling PPP – having a strong presence in the Southern part of the Punjab has thrown its weight behind the new unit in the province with its latest move to bifurcate the party structure in the Punjab by appointing Federal Minister Makhdoom Shahbuddin as the President of PPP Southern Punjab chapter.
PML-N sources said that party has not opposed creation of new federating units but it is in favour of creating such units throughout the country purely on administrative basis.
“It should not be applied to Punjab only but wherever there is an administrative need, the new unit should be created”, sources pointed out and said that same thing has been mentioned in the recommendations with proposing a commission to oversee all such matters.
Sources said that manifesto committee also discussed the economic aspect and gave concrete recommendations on it especially regard to taxation system by proposing the reforms to facilitate the business community.
The especial emphasis, sources said have been laid on the agriculture sector particularly the shortage of urea. Committee deliberated upon it to control this shortage as whether new urea factories should be set up or the import mechanism of urea should be made foolproof.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk