PAKISTAN: More Provinces; Good Or Bad?
Posted on 29. Apr, 2010 by Jeff in World News
By Yasmeen Ali
Recomended Provinces
Looking into the very concept of decentralization, history proves, this has been a popular concept, well applied by earlier civilizations.
As early as 200 B.C., the Greeks found city states as more democratically manageable and administratively effective. An example in the recent past is the breaking away of the states from the USSR. In the context of families, we are witness to the movement from the large to nuclear families.
In a decentralized system, there is no single centralized authority that makes decisions on behalf of the provinces. Instead local representatives, make local autonomous decisions towards achievement of its local goals aimed to culminate into national good.
It is a fact that the administrative units in Pakistan (the 4 provinces besides FATA), are too large to be managed efficiently. There is a huge disconnect between the rulers and the ruled. Try seeking an audience with the MNA or the MPA of your area without a facilitator and you will learn to your sorrow that it is not possible. His constituency is too large for him to attend to individual problems. Further, the impact of steps taken by the government hardly trickles down to the grassroots level. The participation of locals in development efforts is minimal. Priorities of the central government in addressing issues of the people are more often than not, way out of sync with the actual ground realities, to say the least.
The grievances of the people are genuine. For the common man, there are hardly any affordable health facilities, inflation has sky rocketed, education that even if they can afford, offers, few lucrative job opportunities owing to the plum jobs going to the degree holders from the elite institutions, power breakdowns, problems with availing other basic amenities of life, lack of any constructive and positive avenues of entertainment and promotion of healthy activities for the youth like games, population explosion, the list is long and unending. When the leadership leans heavily towards promoting “favorites” and denies equal opportunities, people’s frustration will find a channel to vent itself. This will invariably be negative. We have seen its negative impact in the form of militancy. It can also manifest itself in demands seen as a panacea for their all ills. Like the quest for more provinces.
Distribution of funds and their allocation to different account heads, so the benefits accrue to the locals, is absolutely decisive. More often than not, we see that funds are purportedly used, without a visible indicator of them being used as claimed, or, not to the degree publicized. This creates further disenchantment amongst the people and erodes the feeling of nationhood, sinking us even further and deeply into the black hole of ethnicity.
As a result of genuine need felt, political expediency, or serving of vested interests, on various different occasions, there have been voices raised, in favor of more provinces. There was a demand for Seraiki Province. This was followed by one member of the previous Parliament raising a demand for the Bahawalpur Province, more recently, changing the name of NWFP to Pakhtunkhawa Khyber sent waves of protests in the province. Needless blood was shed in the unrest that followed. And now, there is a movement for a Hazara Province.
The major question that confronts us is, should these divisions be on the basis of ethnicity or language or tribal loyalties? Let us assume, the government gives in to the demand of a Hazara Province. Will we not be frittering our problems to ethnic levels thereby driving in the schism between different ethnic races even deeper than already exists? Will this not lead to a demand by other pressure groups for a province of their own? Pakistan came into being as an ideological state. Will more provinces born out of ethnicity tear it apart? Will this destroy, even more, the concept of one nation? All these and many more questions rear their ugly heads like Hydra, the mythological many-headed serpent. I do not question the genuine grievances of the people leading to the demand. I do, however, question their creation as demanded, on ethnic basis. Creation of more provinces on the basis of ethnicity, will only acerbate the feeling of isolation. This is a self-destruct tendency. We have witnessed this feeling and the havoc it created, in 1971. In the absence of a strong leadership to act as a bonding force, a sense of depravation, created unbridgeable wedges resulting in tearing one of them apart from the motherland.
Does the creation of more provinces, or Administrative Units that I would rather call them, allow them to generate and collect revenues at the local levels? Along with it or even without it, the authority may also be given singly or in combination, of developmental planning, implementation, administration and management.
Will creation of more Administrative Units result in better management automatically? Whereas, this may bring the rulers and the ruled closer together, whereas, it will make those governing more accountable, and whereas, the issues besieging the people, may have a better chance of being addressed in a timely fashion, the fact remains, that this step must be based on honesty of purpose .If appointments on merit become the rule rather than an exception, any system, can achieve an unprecedented success rate as merit would, nay, should, deliver. Bifurcation into smaller units without a will to serve the people honestly will be of no use. It will not ensure an end to corruption and bad governance. This task if undertaken diligently, will be a stepping stone towards solving the multitudes of problems faced by the masses. It should be a means to an end, and not the end itself.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to the will and vision of our country’s leadership, to deliver. No system can succeed and no country can progress without its leaders subscribing to the thought of FDR, when he said, “There is no higher calling than public service”.
The writer is a lawyer currently teaching in the Mass communications Dept. of Beacon House National University .Yasmeen is a regular contributor to Opinion Maker. She also owns and moderates her blog pakpotpourri
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37 Responses to “PAKISTAN: More Provinces; Good Or Bad?”
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Z T Minhas
01. May, 2010
1. more provinces != consistent energy supply
2. more provinces != just prices on necessary goods
3. more provinces != merit based hiring and promotions
4. more provinces != closer relationship between ruler and ruled.
I would like to know what evidence does anyone have that more provinces will create better relationship between the rulers and the ruled? The smallest division that we have in Pakistan is the village, and how does the village vadera treat the villagers? Is there any accountability? Are the villagers themselves capable of bringing the rulers to task? Will creation of new provinces increase or reduce inter-provincial (inter ethnic) hatred? None of the problems mentioned above will be resolved or even reduced through more provinces, but it will only exacerbate the problems.
The people are bad and the problems that they have are the result of what they do or what they accept. I could give my solution to the problem, but I could be accused of being overly harsh.
Imran
06. Jan, 2012
Dear minhas,
If punjab is divided into 3 provinces ( like every othe province), each new province will have its own budget, its own spending and its own projects. If you want to get the real point of view of mine,
Please visit Multan, DG Khan, Sahiwal, Bahalpur or any other city and then compare it to lahore. you will consider as if multan is a village not a city.
for other reason, every european country is lesser size than PUNJab province, but even then every countr has more than 20 provinces , france has 80, by the way so has TURKEY
Please, its really necessary for progress of our country in less-broader terms. energy, gasification is federal govt issues !
Usama Nizamani
01. May, 2010
The solution to this problem doesn?t lie in creation of more provinces on the map either on the administrative or ethnic basis.
Creation of more provinces will not ultimately lead to welfare for people, a more evident example of such claim remains to be Afghanistan, where there remain 34 provinces in the country. However, the decades of wars can?t be ruled to dismiss Afghanistan as a legitimate example.
Moreover, the fundamental and core issues of lack of welfare imparted to public by the state is the continuation of the lack of administrative structure and institutional maturity in the civil services of Pakistan. The institutions remain ineffective with an absolute inefficient and incapable workforce in the first place, which has neglected the values of merit to induct the right people to do the job, instead always selected the undesirable and the otherwise, which results merely not in the failure of the institutions rather in the state?s.
There is a dire and urgent need of reevaluating our current policy for civil institutions and drastically implement a modified plan which is more efficient, effective, scientific, humanistic and welfare oriented which is second to none in the world. Unfortunately, to add to our dilemmas there is no component of ?motivation? found among the public sector organization work-force in Pakistan which perpetuates an image of ?bodies with no soul? in the employees/civil servants.
Beyond all there seems nothing close to trust and confidence between the state?s institutions and the public, which is an invisible force which leads in strengthening relations between the state and the public. The absence of the above- mentioned in the institutions leads to a sense of complete deprivation (from the part of the public) and abuse of ?bureaucratic ritualism? from the public sector employees. Thus, resulting in various forms of corruptions including the monetary and nepotism that we see today in Pakistan which was a part of recent News in Pakistan in which Supreme Court declared the promotion of 54 Officers as Null & Void which was a reflection of Nepotism from the top leadership of the Executive in Pakistan.
Furthermore, lack of execution of substantial basic resources to the public in Pakistan is another reason to the addition of misery of the public which are being exploited and manipulated continuously, which has resulted in declination of the confidence of the public in the state and its institutions. a dilemma of this remain Baluchistan?s and rural Pakistan?s public who feel completely alien to our Urban Society and Population.
Specifically with respect to Hazara, I believe it is an utter injustice to name a province without seeking the consent and confidence of the Hazara?s Public and take an action which is inconsistent to their collective wishes and is completely against the Republic and legitimate Democratic values. In addition to this emergence of new provinces will result in social instability and anarchy in diverse areas of Pakistan including Sindh, Baluchistan and Punjab too, since there is no concrete basis of creation of new provinces in Pakistan other than the ethnic lines and this would inevitably result in utter resistance from public as masses remain uncertain in midst of crises of basic needs.
imran
06. Jan, 2012
Nice example – Afghanistan, common, turkey has 81 provinces, france has 18, saudi arabi has 25 and you are following afghanistan ?
very ncie.
Nadir
02. May, 2010
The Greeks did not “form” into city states out of a united country. It’s the other way around. The Greeks were not a single unified country, much like the Arabs. The modern Greek state was formed in the 18th century after the fall of the Ottoman empire and the Greeks merged into a unified state.
It was not like Greeks separated into city-states; they were like that from before and often fought against one another.
As for Pakistan, I don’t know how good an idea it is. Breaking more provinces could mean bringing in a bunch of corrupt tribalist leaders who have discriminatory laws especially against women.
Laila Isphandyar
02. May, 2010
At the end of the day. it is the VISION & WILL of the leader which will deliver.Ms Ali rightly points out that unless GOOD GOVERNANCE is there, no system will work.
When Pakistan came into being there were four provinces in West Pakistan with some federally and some provincially administered tribal areas. Also there were few princely estates such as Bahawalpur, Qallat etc. With some minor changes, the same administrative set up still exists.
Due to lack of interest and unwilling approach of the ruling political parties in Pakistan, there seems to be un-equal distribution of financial resources among different provinces of Pakistan and also within the provinces. Moreover, some of the politicians, who see fewer chances of their own appraisals from their bosses in their political parties also advocate to create more provinces. Many of them were part of the provincial and central governments in the past and they never said a word about it when they were in power. But when such politicians are pulled down from the government, they start frustrating the people with such non-issues.
The bad news for such politicians is that people are becoming more politically educated, . They understand that all such political demands are just to shine their own political interests and have nothing to do with the interests of common people.
It is beyond people?s understanding that when Pakistan is facing serious external threats from its enemies, why some regional politicians start discussing non-issues like creation of more provinces? There are deadly bomb blasts on daily bases. Our enemies are mounting military pressure on borders and injecting terrorists inside Pakistan to destabilise the country. We are facing the toughest time of our very short history and instead our political leaders work to create National Unity, they are diverting public?s attention on such non-issues.
Ijaz Khan
02. May, 2010
Demands for creation of new provinces, which have been made for many decades, have been spurred by the renaming of one of the federating units. The idea cannot be rejected out of hand, for many reasons.
These include huge differences in size, economic disparities, distortions in distribution of resources, ethnic deprivations and the local population?s little or no say in the affairs of the federation. This situation has created bitter prejudices in smaller provinces.
Ethnicity is an untenable criterion for a separate province. Carving out new provinces on this criterion would cause further destabilisation. If adopted, this yardstick would push Balochistan to demand some regions currently under the administrative control of Sindh and Punjab to be declared its integral part. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will scramble for getting the western parts of Balochistan. It will also lay claims to Mianwali and Attock of Punjab. Such reorganisation will not get Hazara the status of a new province as most of the Hindko-speaking tribes there are ethnic Pakhtuns. Eventually, the province will be happy to extend into other provinces? regions, but it will also have to cope with the grief of losing its Saraiki-speaking areas, which will automatically gravitate towards a Saraiki province. The province of Sindh would be a scene of intense ethnic struggles.
Language will also become a problem criterion. In Pakistan, no part of the country can be declared a single-language unit. Local dialects of the major languages apart, all provinces are inhabited by people from other provinces who do not share the language of the host province or region. If it is ever accepted as the criterion for new provinces, language would most likely create unpleasant scenarios. One of the likely scenarios will be mass migration among regions and provinces thus creating the spectre of hate and ethnic atrocities. This migration will also be accompanied by painful economic displacements.
National development and good governance goals necessitate creation of new provinces by dividing the larger provinces into smaller ones, but the question is: what are the criteria to be adopted for creation of new provinces?
In the current scenario, the only option that seems feasible and probably acceptable to the democratic forces is declaring the administrative Divisions in all federating units as new provinces.
This is a suggestion.
Ibrahim
02. May, 2010
Having smaller provinces is not a new idea. The Ansari Commission once proposed as much. Earlier, in 1942, the Communist Party proposed to divide India into 17 ?nationalities?.
The linguistic states of India have solved some problems ? the south is no longer at loggerheads with the Hindi-speaking north ? but not all. Ethnic issues using symbols other than language still remain in Kashmir and the northeast. Conflicts are a product of perceived injustice and exploitation and merely re-adjusting borders does not help unless real justice and freedom is given to all. However, even if some problems are solved, the solution is worth considering in Pakistan also.
Rizwan Beg
02. May, 2010
California is by far the most dynamic state in the Unites States of America taking over 50 out of about 430 House seats in the US Congress. On its own, California is a top 10 economy in the world. As an example of the clout this state has in the US it might interest some in this discussion to know that many states simply reference the standards and regulations set out by California law in their own states. Specifically, there is currently an attempt by Hindu religious groups to convince the state board of education in California to include Hinduism in the grades 1-6 cirriculum alongside Christianity, Judaism and Islam as the major religions on earth. The reason for this, most states such as the Dakotas, Montana, Etc. do not have the budgets that California puts into reasarching, writing and publishing of lesson plans and school books. It is often the case that the revisions made to texts in California will end up by default as the revisions of 15 or 20 other states. In effect, these Hindu advocate groups want to spread knowledge of themeselves and their beliefs through the lobbying of California.
There is a purpose to this long example. While Punjabs size in pakistan is a at a larger scale than California’s size in the US, the issues remain similar. There are states that simply have more resources at hand and it is not an issue that pakistan is alone in facing. The difference is that California’s size and clout is used to other states benefit. You would not believe the amount of advertising and lobbying that other states such as Arizona, Nevada and Michigan especially undertake in California to entice business and people away from California and towards their own states. The relationship is fundamentally different than in pakistan and that is something the other states in Pakistan should understand. Rather than arguing over the spoils of the federal system, try and entice the wealth and business towards your own areas. Offer developers the opportunity to make money in your state and they will come with their wealth.
As an outsider looking in, the problem seems to have more bickering than required and not enough serious discussion. The answer may simply involve introspection and solution from within rather than turning a wary eye on your neighbor, whichever direction that may be.
Amir Suhail
02. May, 2010
Interesting debate going on here. Here is my view too for whatever it is worth:
On the sidelines of other issues, voices are being heard from the under-developed areas of the provinces about the division of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan into more provinces. That demand is not absurd or preposterous. Countries like Turkey, England, even in India and many others have followed the same pattern and have solved many administrative issues, while making the lives better and improved.
Especially Sindh and Punjab need division. Interior Sindh and South of Punjab seems to be the exact replica of bronze age. For example, in the Bahawalpur area of Southern Punjab, there is only one university whose merit is established in Lahore, and there is no Engineering college out there and the basic facilities of life are dismal if not non-existent. Same is the plight in almost all the areas of interior Sindh.
It is imperative to form new Provinces of a manageable size. This will not only make the administration easy but the under-developed areas will be able to make rapid progress.
Tahir
02. May, 2010
The question on the minds of many people is whether or not more provinces are a better solution for the kind of politics and governance the helpless peoples of Pakistan have endured for 6 decades. Maybe, maybe not.
I think Maybe Not.We need BETTER GOVERNANCE.
Old wine in new bottles?
Baqi
02. May, 2010
Its best if in Punjab we two to there province like Punjab, saraki and potowahar , if divid in three province its batter and easy, and its not effect leader ship of pakitan, in nwpf, its bater make three province or two province, we need now it end of tribal area , we need its attached with nwfp, so we need make one separated province of these area or attach? with Peshawar ,and its more batter when make new province we attached some part of Baluchistan and some part nwfp new province and Peshawar and sawat area we make another province , one another part hazara its total different from Peshawar need make province hazara , these people long time demanded that,
North area of Pakistan also need now government make some decision it , may it contact with hazara province or make one other province of Pakistan,
Sind , that best way we can divide in to two or three province, same one side Karachi and srounding area province , no need Hyderabad join it, we need make another province of Hyderabad of sindh.
Aijaz
02. May, 2010
A lot has been written here.
Question: Who’s listening to logic?
A Khan
Durrani
02. May, 2010
Ms Yasmin?s is a voice of sanity, in a Pakistan where Pashtun, Punjabi, Sindhi, Baluch and Muhajir identities tend to grow bigger than the Pakistani identity.
Decentralization on ethnic rather than administrative grounds would, in the long run, be disastrous. Decentralization is needed to facilitate good governance, not to pave the way for disintegration. The disastrous impact of plunging Pakistan into the ethnic black hole is not likely to remain confined to the boundaries of Pakistan. It will destabilise not only Pakistan but also the neighbours. Pashtuns are very good Pakistanis and excellent Muslims but Pashtun Nationalism has the potential of destabilising two Muslim Nation States Pakistan and Afghanistan, contributing none to the cause of Muslim Ummah. Baluch nationalism likewise has the potential of destabilising Pakistan and the neighbouring Muslim Nation State of Iran.
It is not a maze one can not see through to reach the hidden aim but a clear road map in the minds of certain powers to permanently dominate the Muslim World and to exploit its resources. Pakistan is the major hurdle!
The possible road map, keeping this region in mind, involves Ethnic decentralization in nuclear Pakistan, followed by redrawing boundaries of weaker pro-Western ethnic states involving areas and populations of Pakistan and the neighbouring Muslim Nation States of Iran and Afghanistan. The obvious three point agenda is (1) ethnic decentralisation, integration of ethnic groups in one Muslim Nation State with such groups in the neighbouring Muslim Nation States to form numerous ethnic states, and establishing of puppet regimes in the proposed new states. The same game is being played in Iraq. The emergence of Greater Kurdistan in that region can lead to destabilising the Muslim Nation States of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. The conspiracies going on in African Muslim Nation States such as Sudan are following the same pattern.
These ethnic states shall in fact be ethnic snakes that would devour every possibility of political integration of the Muslim Ummah, which is a healthy and comprehensive alternative for resolving the issue of divided Kurds, Baluchis, Pashtuns, Uzbaks, Tajiks and many others.
We should learn something from the example set by Europe.
Butaane rang u khun ko taurr kar millat mein gum ho ja
Na Irani rahe baaqi, na turaani na Afghani.
Durrani
Syeddain
02. May, 2010
Yasmeen It means more provincialism and favoritism Control will be come difficult Pakistan will ultimately disappear from the Map of this world who so ever wants it knows all weaknesses of the people and Admin of Pakistanis and this way it is the best way to break it into peaces with wars with each other and total collapse Times will give on its front page ” Brave land disappears” or some thing akin to it……..Syedain Zariff
Afreen Baig
02. May, 2010
Another refreshing article by Yasmeen!
1- Atleast 4 provinces should be made out of each existing provinces.
2- Provinces should be named after major cities and not languages, as indicated in the above article.
3- The entire system prevailing in Pakistan has to change. Instead of this two tier mode of governance, one being the CM and the other Governor. We need simple governors that report directly to the President and under them a simple assembly of Local Government system.
4- Check & Balances be implemented to monitor any system.
5- Basic qualification for public servants to be graduation and no FIR against them. Clean people should come forward.
Regards
Naveed
02. May, 2010
Yasmeen’s idea on administrative boundaries,is millions times a better proposition than the ethnic divide, as envisaged by the powers to be,the bloodline border theory,
which will never work,as our internal dynamics is such, that it will bounce back.
However this will and can work,with lieut.governors.
Naveed
Sarwar
02. May, 2010
Excellent write up & comments. Good input by Ms Afreen Baig and Laila.
Dawood
02. May, 2010
Devolution has its own merits. Devolution to regional (or as in Pakistan’s case to the local levels) allows officials to desegregate and tailor development plans to the needs of the heterogeneous regions and groups. It can cut through the enormous amounts of red tape and the highly structured procedures characteristic of central planning and management in developing nations that result in part from the over concentration of authority and resources at the center of the government. Closer contact between government officials and the local population would allow both to obtain better information with which to formulate more realistic and effective plans for government programmes. It could further lead to the development of greater administrative capability among local governments, thus expending their capacities to take over functions that are usually performed by central ministries. By creating alternative means of decision making, decentralisation might offset the control over development by entrenched local elite.
Also Decentralisation is often advocated as one of the key solutions to underdevelopment, and further in “establishing the foundations of democracy”. However, Decentralisation is a complex political device, which touches upon the crucial questions of political control. Favourable administrative and political conditions include strong political commitment and support from national leaders to the transfer of planning, decision making and managerial authority to lower levels. Further, support of and commitment to Decentralisation within line agencies of the central bureaucracy and the willingness of central government officials to transfer functions previously performed by them to local units of administration. But the provinces with this proposed structure have been bypassed retaining none of their extensive responsibilities other than the police force. In fact it has been reiterated that ‘this is not Devolution but concentration of power’.
Although the constitution provides that “the state shall encourage local government institutions composed of elected representatives of the areas concerned and in such institutions special representation will be given to peasants, workers and women” (Article 32), local government reform has till recently remained in limbo. One key constraint to decentralisation has been the unwillingness of governing parties to devolve authority to the grassroots for fear of losing their political grip. Central governments assume that local governments must inevitably become centers of opposition to the national government. But this may not be the case. There can be political advantage for the central government in transferring responsibility and accountability for any shortcomings in the provision of public goods and services to local governments. Thus, local governments can act as a political safety valve, absorbing public dissatisfaction with the central government.
A further political argument against decentralisation is the risk of domination by the local elite. However, it can also be argued that this is already the case. Bureaucrats from the center tend to be ‘captured’ by the local elite and the only reliable assurance that community interests can be protected is regular and fair local elections, backed by voter education.
The government should consider developing local government units of an appropriate size. This would involve exploiting scale economies while ensuring that the units are not so large so at to preclude wide direct participation. There is a critical size in government, which is conducive to efficiency. The principal unit of local government in Bangladesh is the Upazila Parishad (UP). Along with the village, it provides a great deal of scope of participation at the grassroots. However, the UP has an average population of only about 26,000; it is too small to employ professional and technical staff and exploit economies of scale in public services. A minimum size unit needs to be determined which can command sufficient resources to undertake minor infrastructure projects and provide the level of salaries and civic amenities necessary.
Clarity in the division of functional responsibilities between levels of government is an essential condition of any reform in the structure of service delivery.
Afridi
03. May, 2010
Simply superb!
Ibrahim
04. May, 2010
Excellent , rational approach.
Allah aap kay qalam ko aur barkat dai. (May Allah bless your pen)
Ibrahim
Fayyaz Shah
08. May, 2010
You have to unite first to start talking about divisions, last that I heard we were only united till 1965. So how are we going to divide a nation that has still to unite in the national character. I thought the two nation theory became one after partition but we are still talking about more partitions. When we become a Nation and get rid of our local and international Leaches then lets sit down and carve our administrative Pies. The wars in Afghanistan were triggered by ethnic division and a whole race is still suffering the consequence.
Ali
09. May, 2010
Has someone read the news today?TOO many vested interests to allow anything GOOD for Pakistan:
Old Hyderabad district will be restored: Gilani
* PM says all allied parties will be consulted before reaching final decision
KARACHI/LAHORE: The division of Hyderabad into four districts will be reversed but any such decision will be taken in consultation with the allied parties of the Pakistan People?s Party (PPP),? Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Saturday.
Addressing PPP workers from Hyderabad division at the Sindh Chief Minister?s House, Gilani said the PPP government would take its allies into confidence prior to reaching a final decision on the matter. Gilani said the government would provide due relief to the masses in the upcoming national budget.
Pointing out Sindh?s reservations with regards to anomalies in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, the PM said all reservations would be fully addressed. He said the NFC Award would lead to capacity building of the province with an enormous increase in its finances, and would provide additional job opportunities.
Also, a private TV channel reported that Hyderabad was bifurcated into four districts on the demand of the MQM in 2005 by Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, the Sindh chief minister at that time.
According to the channel, Rahim split the division into Hyderabad, Matiari, Tando Allahyar and Tando Muhammad Khan districts. The Hyderabad district was subdivided into four talukas ? Hyderabad Urban, Hyderabad Rural, Latifabad and Qasimabad.
At the time of the division, the PPP and certain nationalist parties had opposed the idea, but Rahim maintained that the district was divided for administrative reasons. irfan aligi/daily times monitor
tariqismail
13. May, 2010
Aoa,
nice appraoch
pakistan must be devided into more provinces for better rule administration as unit becomes smaller and smaller, there coercive threat of separation may be diluted with as small unit as they are.
Khalid Rahim
14. May, 2010
Next door Afghanistan a country both smaller in the area and population has 34 provinces. The ethnic groups are spread in
all provinces thickly or thinly and so is good and bad governing
found amongst them. We can have more provinces in the country for better administration and have Governors elected
by majority vote at the time of PA elections. The Governor must not be affiliated to any political party and must be able to
act independently in emergency. Each ethnic group must be encouraged to settle in other provinces and create industrious
harmony. In order to succeed we have reduce the number of political parties to not more than eight. We all know which are the major parties, others should amalgamate based on their political doctrine. Then free and fair elections be held within the party to elect the office bearers and finish the present system of “Mom and Pop” fancy stores.
Sqn Ldr S.Ausaf Husain(Retd)
18. May, 2010
The article by Ms Yasmeen is not only interesting but provides a food for thought. At first there is a need to bring the whole Pakistani nation on one platform. Every individual whether belongs to Punjab, Khyber Pukhtukhwa, Balochistan or Sindh should identify himself or herself as Pakistani and not as Punjabi, Pkhtun, Baloch, Sindhi or Muajir.
After Pakistan came into being, a high profile Indian scholar namely Allama Mashraqi visited Pakistan in the year 1949 to see this newly born country. During his stay in Pakistan he visited both urban and rural areas of each province to see the spirit and patriotism of Pakistani nation. When he came back to India, journalists asked his comments about Pakistan. Allama Mashraqi told them that I was disappointed by one thing that during by almost three months stay there I could not find a Pakistani. Where ever I had gone people identified themselves as Pujabi, Pakhtun, Baloch, Sindhi or Muhajir. This means they got Pakistan made but feel shy to say that we are Pakistani.
President Ayub Khan also felt this feeling of provincialism and decided to break all the provinces and turned Pakistan into one unit by making West Pakistan and East Pakistan as independent units. It worked for some time quite successfully but politicians who lost their power and wealth by holding seats in their respective provinces started shouting for provincial autonomy.
However, more provinces if created will only increase confusion and become a burden on Pakistan revenue which is already surviving on foreign loans.
Lastly, what we need is good governance, identity as Pakistani and true patriotism by every citizen, political leader and ruler in this county then only we can hope for a prosperous Pakistan.
Yasmeen Ali
19. May, 2010
Thank you for the refined thoughts Sir. One point I would like to add here is:The one unit earlier did not work because of geographical size. Hence the suggestion of smaller units focused on power at the base.
Best
YAA@Sqn Ldr S.Ausaf Husain(Retd),
Dr. Imtiaz Hussain
20. Jun, 2010
The reason for existence of any state with its rulers is the presence of domain which can provide its inhabitants a peaceful and honourable living.
Pakistan if seen in the light of this definition is ? FAILED STATE? anybody likes this statement or not !
To come out of state of failure persons like Yasmeen Ali are always endevouring and present and propose new ideas. One just cannot remain in state of failure. Its against the human nature. Human nature tends to fight to go up when slippinf down a steep height, and if on top always tend to forget how it managed to reach up.
Our issue right now is that we are not slipping , rather we have slipped into the dungeons of ignorance and lawlessness.
To me this is a good solution dividing Pakistan into more provinces at the district level. The reason for division should not be ethinicity, religion or belief, but only the WELFARE OF THOSE COMMON PEOPLE FOR WHOM THIS PAKISTAN WAS MADE TO COME INTO BEING. The other reason for making more provinces should be ELIMINATION OF ELITE. Therefore the reson you can label or such a division is ONLY ADMINISTRATIVE
Religion is not an issue, Islam is not endangered, we are. The formost isue is to have leaders which are AMINS AND SIDIQS. Before even prophethood of Muhammad PBUH was declared, he was made SIDIQ AND AMIN. before even a Islamic State was concieved, the Prophet was made to live a torturous life for 13 years. this clearly depicts that nothing is achieved with out virtues and pains.
So before we think of making more provinces we must develop a breed of leaders , and that too young leaders like Yasmeen Ali who are SIDIQ AND AMIN and ready to live a torturous life for the sake of those whom these leaders will be representing. A common man use to sleep well in the era of Hazrat Umar e Farooq because He seldom use to sleep .. We need leaders who do not like sleeping on the miseries of common men and women .
Now when we will have leaders why to divide Pakistan into more administrative units ? for simple reason that Pakistan along side its problems have become such monstrous proportions that unless local people will not be empowered no turn around is possible. A person who feels the pain is also the best judge of the progress in the intensity of pain. righ now there are two types of people who are crying in Pakistan, who have pain the majority and those who do not have pain yet also cry out of their peudo pains.. and this latter group is of elite rulers of Pakistan and as they are power so they take all away and increase the intensity of pain of majority. A local solutuion is the best to discriminate amongst the two and to dish out the pseudo group.
Division of Pakistan into administrative units also entails that these units to be fully autonomous in terms of their finances and buisness less for central issues as Defense, post and foreign affairs. each district must have total control over its produces and each unit must br responsible for its police control and enegy sector.
alongside this the army needs to be cu down . Pakistan in its current technological status is capable of maintainig a strong missile force, a very strong airforce and navy. Army is mostly infantry and all other groups are logistics of this infantry. Infantry is needed to accupy land and we do not want to ocupy land and honestly we are not capable of doing that, so before Pakistan is to be divided into administrative units Army is to be curtailed and downsized drastically.
In view of this decide for yourself if Pakistan can be downsized in the presence of this GIANT OF ARMY ?
who so ever wants to do this will have to fight this monster.. who is ready for this fight ?
Nevertheless Yasmeen Ali bravoo for taking up this very important and much delayed issue i sincerely hope that we together an see this change happening ??
Dr. Imtiaz Hussain
20. Jun, 2010
The reason for existence of any state with its rulers is the presence of domain which can provide its inhabitants a peaceful and honourable living.
Pakistan if seen in the light of this definition is ‘ FAILED STATE’ anybody likes this statement or not !
To come out of state of failure persons like Yasmeen Ali are always endevouring and present and propose new ideas. One just cannot remain in state of failure. Its against the human nature. Human nature tends to fight to go up when slippinf down a steep height, and if on top always tend to forget how it managed to reach up.
Our issue right now is that we are not slipping , rather we have slipped into the dungeons of ignorance and lawlessness.
To me this is a good solution dividing Pakistan into more provinces at the district level. The reason for division should not be ethinicity, religion or belief, but only the WELFARE OF THOSE COMMON PEOPLE FOR WHOM THIS PAKISTAN WAS MADE TO COME INTO BEING. The other reason for making more provinces should be ELIMINATION OF ELITE. Therefore the reson you can label or such a division is ONLY ADMINISTRATIVE
Religion is not an issue, Islam is not endangered, we are. The formost isue is to have leaders which are AMINS AND SIDIQS. Before even prophethood of Muhammad PBUH was declared, he was made SIDIQ AND AMIN. before even a Islamic State was concieved, the Prophet was made to live a torturous life for 13 years. this clearly depicts that nothing is achieved with out virtues and pains.
So before we think of making more provinces we must develop a breed of leaders , and that too young leaders like Yasmeen Ali who are SIDIQ AND AMIN and ready to live a torturous life for the sake of those whom these leaders will be representing. A common man use to sleep well in the era of Hazrat Umar e Farooq because He seldom use to sleep .. We need leaders who do not like sleeping on the miseries of common men and women .
Now when we will have leaders why to divide Pakistan into more administrative units ? for simple reason that Pakistan along side its problems have become such monstrous proportions that unless local people will not be empowered no turn around is possible. A person who feels the pain is also the best judge of the progress in the intensity of pain. righ now there are two types of people who are crying in Pakistan, who have pain the majority and those who do not have pain yet also cry out of their peudo pains.. and this latter group is of elite rulers of Pakistan and as they are power so they take all away and increase the intensity of pain of majority. A local solutuion is the best to discriminate amongst the two and to dish out the pseudo group.
Division of Pakistan into administrative units also entails that these units to be fully autonomous in terms of their finances and buisness less for central issues as Defense, post and foreign affairs. each district must have total control over its produces and each unit must br responsible for its police control and enegy sector.
alongside this the army needs to be cu down . Pakistan in its current technological status is capable of maintainig a strong missile force, a very strong airforce and navy. Army is mostly infantry and all other groups are logistics of this infantry. Infantry is needed to accupy land and we do not want to ocupy land and honestly we are not capable of doing that, so before Pakistan is to be divided into administrative units Army is to be curtailed and downsized drastically.
In view of this decide for yourself if Pakistan can be downsized in the presence of this GIANT OF ARMY ?
who so ever wants to do this will have to fight this monster.. who is ready for this fight ?
Nevertheless Yasmeen Ali bravoo for taking up this very important and much delayed issue i sincerely hope that we together an see this change happening ……
Shahid Rehman
30. Jun, 2010
So,there is a concensus.Have more Provinces.I think a signature campaign should be initiated in the Asseblies for this purpose.This will make the MPs to constitute a Parliamentary Commission to put up its’ recommendations.After a debate and fine tunning,it should be adopted.This is the only way onto this road.
Shahid Rehman
Islamabad
Salma
14. Jul, 2010
Allama Mashriqi was against provincialism. He suggested creation of ONE UNIT to the then Prime Minister. His proposal was accepted and ONE UNIT came into being.
Daily “Pakistan Times” (November Lahore) reports on Mashraqi?s proposal to declare East and West Pakistan as one unit and to divide electoral constituencies into poor, middle class, and rich.
Source: “Government of British India on Allama Mashraqi and Khaksar Tehreek (Movement): A Select Chronology” authored by Nasim Yousaf. Page number 456.
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16. Aug, 2010
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iyamwutiam
16. Aug, 2010
Kudos to the impassioned patriots that yearn for sanity and recognize because of the undeniable misery of our brethren suffering ???? ??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???(-). This is an example of specious thinking and illustrates the confusion of our times and the challenge to pseudo-intellectualism.
Where has the responsibility of each human being to search within themselves the truth gone? Has it been abdicated at the behest of mullahs, politicians and elitists to the ‘educated’ =those parroted fools who seek comfort and refuse the harsh struggle for true wisdom.
Who amongst us has not feared to go into the deserts of mankind -easier than those of nature! False titles adorn us -PhD, think tank. author and the easiest title of all -wife/husband/brother of some undeserving servant of success-surprise!! Yet impossible it seems– that Mohammed would and could arise today! Cleverness replaced truthfulness, depth is left behind for the efficiency of transmission and for celebratedness – we have forsaken the true teachings of truth that like a sacred fire -burned and spread everywhere.
Peoples strive to be clever -refuse to be deep. Sacrifice itself is sacrificed for the conventional house, title and of course security for progeny -we have delved into the depths of self deception and forgotten that while Islam be harsh -even to the death of our progeny -it spreads due to the truth not some by some specious intelligence and false mastery of words to deceive.
Not yet by association of the accomplishments of peers/fears and betrayal, husbands, family, connections or worse yet -to be a CIA sponsored organ of dissemination of discord and discombobulation!!
Where are the people of sacrifice ? To seek fidelity to the greater good by the promise to punish those who would spill the blood of innocents. Be fearful yee of temporary prestige for thy undeserving children and legacy will be in mortal and eternal danger!! Un-necessary inheritance hoarded and with shame they seek to distance themselves from decades of supposed incompetence but in reality they are but paid assassins of our soil, inheritance and future!!
Where is the voice of purity and charity? The voice of true suffering by experience and not mental self-aggrandizement! Shame unto you -those who seek to and strive to destroy the mass of innocents for bungalows, tax evasion and the most hideous of sins -destruction of thine own.
Read -No Heaven for Gunga Din by Anonymous as the gateway to shame and the doorway to salvation. Must we as a people -as an identity -as an aspiration -be reduced to animals and forcibly digest pre-processed foods. Poisoned daily so that we be acclimated to industrial dogma (and behind the curtain of this false rationality -zionist culture-be force fed this impious profanity aka capitalism).
Liars are they all – cannibals and barbarians in disguise who feed upon the flesh of our peoples and be IDLE and idolatrous worshipfulness disguised as false hopes and analysis. Begone you lazy fools and callous murderers of my brethren. Justice shall like a shadow of unrepentant death haunt thou and all that you endear to be a ‘future’.
We all pursue thee to the fabled lands of America and England where thy progeny train to be servants of Satan under the guise of leadership. Doest thou think you are safe at Sandhurst /West Point and the many other temples of cannibalism!
Be assured -the death of hundreds of thousands shall not be an empty echo -rather it shall bathe in the blood of thy heirs- till they are no more -not even capable of casting a shadow upon the land of the pure.
We watch thee verily and follow in silence and secrecy to ensureth death of this living cancer that robs from the body to feed itself with out end. beware the confidence of the now.
The revolution is at hand, ugly and unmerciful shall it be and must it be! Millions must see that the blood of traitors ensconced by the false protection of materialism and betrayal flows easily -as easily as thou has robbed and murdered millions of thy and most sadly MINE kin for decades. The hand of God reaches inexorably for thy shoulders of sin – oh lowly and despicable traitor – who has cold bloodedly watched the impoverishment of the children/grandchildren of our land and who have purposely salted the land of pure with selfishness, murder, greed and betrayal. Your time is at hand -thou can not no longer hide in military bases, elite colonies and foreign shores.
The true Jihad is not amongst the pale faced murders of our kin but the same faced betrayers of our peoples. Thy death shall be slow -as slow as the millions of suffering pious who believed in your falsity for generations and thus condemned their future to destructive and hideous betrayers cloaked in the pigment of collaboration and hence treason.
It seems that the blood of our brethren is insufficient cause for you to repent -sadly the ONLY and last resort -is to induce your compassion by seeing your own blood spilled. This is not foolish revenge impassioned and inflamed -it is justice!
promodiva
26. Aug, 2010
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sajeda
26. Sep, 2010
Only possible, when we stop being crabs! It takes generations before a collective trait is evolved. So lets keep on putting up these intellectually rigourous discussion going on and try to involve and mobilise our younger students as well as, start from 15 years onwards.
This will help channelise them into positive thinking and problem solving skill will be enhanced.
Sajeda Rashid, Karachi
Kh. Aftab Shah, USA
29. Nov, 2010
FIVE REGIONAL CITIES should be upgraded with in the provinces in Pakistan. Regional cities of Dera Ismail Khan in NWFP, Gawadar/ Qalat in Balouchistan, Sukkar/ Larkana in Upper Sind, Jehlam/ Rawalpindi and Multan in Punjab province. These regional cities have been ignored by the federal and provincial governments although these cities have their own history, culture and languages.Dera Ismail Khan in south of Pakhtun khwa/MWFP is under seige, Multan/DG Khan in south of Punjab is next target of religious extremists,Sukkar/ Larkana is being rule by criminals, Gawadar/ Qalat is trouble some. The people of these regions have to travel to provincial capitals for every small issue and requirement of the daily life which should be provided in nearby cities. A good number of population travel to big cities for their survival to earn livelihood as the local feudal own majority land and keep the common man as their slaves. Creation of regional government and upgrading of the regional cities will save a lot of money and time of the poor people of these regions. Circuit benches of the High Courts are already working in these areas and only requirement is the additional staff of different departments involved in additional work at the provincial capitals. The concern authorities should immediately consider to upgrade the regional cities. And immediate attention should be given upgrade/build the airports,TV station, civic center, libraries,hospitals, educational institutes and investment opportunities for Pakistanis living abroad and foreign firms to create jobs in the area as majority population in rural Pakistan do not have enough resources to survive. It remind me the condition of pre Islamic revolution of Iran in Shah time when the rural Iran was ignored and the capital Tehran was developed in a way to call it Paris of Middle East with modern life style. Couple of other big cities like Isfahan and Caspian sea was taken care of because of foreign tourists but rural area was ruled by cruel police and intelligence. Then what happen rural population supported the Islamic revolution and moved to Tehran and other big cities later on. The new government after revolution developed, built and upgraded the rural areas of Iran accordingly. A fund to upgrade/build these regional cities in Pakistan should be intoduced by public and private sector and Pakistani government, our foreign friends and Pakistanis living abroad may be asked to participate in this development mission in the country..KHWAJA AFTAB ALI,( former secretary, Iranian embassy, Saudi Arabia,1975-88) Advocate High Court & I.P. Attorney-first & the only Pakistani lawyer who earned Intellectual Property laws scholarship in USA,presently residing in Florida, USA.
(Pakistan) Ethnicity: Basis for New Provinces?
09. Jan, 2012
[...] Hardly anyone understands the historical implications & impact of divisions f boundaries over time. This piece is an effort to explain the factors involved. Please also read:More Provinces:Good or Bad? https://opinion-maker.org/2010/04/pakistan-more-provinces-good-or-bad-2/ [...]