LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said he supports the creation of new provinces on an administrative not linguistic basis, and added that while the PML-N is not against creating more provinces, this should not be done in Punjab only but in the whole country and in the national interest.
Talking to journalists here on his return from a private visit to London on Sunday he said a national committee comprising notables of all four provinces should be formed to consider setting up new provinces based on administrative, political, social, economic, agriculture, water needs and other requirements.
Replying to a question about contacts with political parties and the Karachi situation, the chief minister said his party maintained contacts with all political parties. He said the question regarding what the MQM wanted from the People’s Party regarding Karachi and Hyderabad should be put to the MQM.
He said Karachi is the port city of Pakistan and the city of lights and the federal government, political parties and other notables should be serious about normalising the situation there. He said instead of diverting people’s attention from the real issues, the federal government should concentrate on defusing the situation in Karachi.
Shahbaz said corruption and plunder was rampant in the country and huge resources of the poor were being looted ruthlessly and transferred to foreign countries. He said he had earlier challenged the federal government, and now he reiterated this challenge that he was waging an open war against thieves, dacoits and plunderers and would expose them without caring for his life and would also mobilise the nation in this regard.
Shahbaz said threats for exposing corruption were not surprising but Allah had control over matters of life and death and everyone had to leave this world some day. He said he would continue to expose the looters of national resources at the risk of his own life.
APP adds: A 15-member PML-N special committee formed to formulate proposals on the formation of new provinces will submit its recommendations to Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad today (Monday).
Headed by Raja Zafarul Haq as convenor, the committee is expected to recommend Nawaz Sharif to fully support the formation of new provinces. Opposing the creation of new provinces at this juncture will not be in the interest of the party, insiders said. The PML-N as opposition in the National Assembly will probably not oppose a resolution being brought by the government on August 11.