LAHORE: PPP’s senator and former Law Minister Dr Babar Awan Sunday
said the constitution of Siraiki province was a long-standing demand of
the Siraiki speaking people and the PML-N instead of putting the matter
under the carpet should play its role and fulfil the demand of the
Siraiki people.
Babar Awan said this while addressing a press
conference at the residence of the PPP leader Haji Aziz-ur-Rehman
Chann. Dr Babar Awan said division of provinces on the basis of
ideology was a direct offence to the Ideology of Pakistan. He said the
ruling style of the ‘Lahore Throne’ was the main reason behind the
creation of new province. He was of the view that the creation of new
provinces would strengthen the federation.
A democratic
government never runs from the issues confronting it, rather it tries
to resolve them, he said. “PPP believes in dialogue and reconciliation
and problems can be solved only through these two means,” said Awan.
Pakistan’s future lies in democracy and only democracy will work here,
he said. “PML-N is trying to cause a storm in the teacup but it will
fail in its designs,” said the ex-law minister.
PPP has taken
bold steps for the solution to the problems confronting the country and
the nation, said Dr Babar Awan, adding PML-N on the other hand has
always sought point scoring on the national issues. I advise the PML-N
leadership not to suppress the voice of the Siraiki speaking people.
“Our constitution gives us a clear mechanism regarding formation of new
province,” said Dr Babar Awan. Referring to India, he said our
neighbouring country has also constituted new province for the sake of
good governance, said Dr Babar Awan. “PML-N has planned to prolong the
issue of new province in the Siraiki region. I would urge them (PML-N)
to take the issue seriously. PML-N should listen to the people living
in the Southern Punjab, said Dr Babar Awan. To a question, he said the
Parliament should take the issue seriously and responsibly. “Countries
not provinces are constituted on the basis of ideologies,” said Babar
Awan. He criticised the Punjab government for delay in calling the
Punjab Assembly’s session. “We have submitted a requisition for the
assembly session and it is a legal obligation of the Speaker to call
the session of the Punjab Assembly but the provincial rulers are
preferring to stay either in Murree or London,” he said. “It seems the
requisition has raised the temperature of the province,” said Dr Babar
Awan.
If they (PML-N leadership) mind my views in favour of the
new Siraiki province, they should at least listen to their own leader
the senior Vice President of the PML-N Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, said
Babar Awan. He gave the example of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saying with the
change of the name the people of the provinces achieved a recognition
of their own. New provinces strengthen the federation and the
provincial government should listen to the voice of its people. Online
