LAHORE, Sept 13: Ruling PML Senator S.M. Zafar denies that the government is considering any proposal to re-demarcate the Punjab as claimed by Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan. He, however, says he is supportive of such an exercise because it will strengthen the federation.

Press reports suggest that Dr Sher Afgan had claimed in the Parliament House on Tuesday that the government was seriously considering a proposal for division of Punjab while another regarding declaring all former divisions in the country provinces was also being honed.

Mr Zafar says the provincial boundaries should have been re-drawn much earlier. Punjab may be divided into three and Balochistan, Sindh and the NWFP into two provinces each, he says.

The step, he believes, will strengthen the federation but for the purpose a visionary and democratic leadership is required and that is currently missing from the country.

“In the present scenario the task seems fairly difficult. We’ll have to wait for a democratic era for undertaking the exercise.”

The re-demarcation will not only cut the current large provinces to a manageable size but also curtail problems, he argues. The present Balochistan crisis is limited to a specific area but by using the name of the province in references it appears as if the issue is related to the whole region.

In Indian constitution, the re-demarcation of provinces has been made so easy that the job can be done by a majority vote in parliament, he adds.

PML-N foreign affairs coordinator Muhammad Mahdi says though the step will improve national unity, the present setup being un-elected is not in principal authorised to undertake any such drill.

He says the step should be taken only by real representatives of the masses as such acts taken during dictatorial eras had already damaged the national solidarity — a reference to the establishment of one-unit during Gen Ayub Khan regime.

He says the division of Punjab only will not solve the matter for it will increase present province’s share in the Senate too.

While if the re-drawing of provincial boundaries goes down to divisional level, it will result in strengthening of biradaries and establish grip of the influential families in their respective areas.

Like in Lahore, Arain and Kashmiris will be calling the shots all the times leaving little room for other sub-castes to thrive, he contends.

Interestingly, the Awami National Party that has been demanding division of Punjab since decades is now opposing the suggestion.

ANP Secretary-General Ehsan Wyne says it is a very complicated issue that warrants utmost caution while taking along all mainstream as well as regional political parties.

He fears that the re-demarcation will not benefit smaller provinces as the area now comprising Punjab will get more representation in the Senate too.

Any such proposal, he says, should be first whetted at the party level before bringing it on record.

Former federal finance minister and PPP Shaheed Bhutto leader Dr Mubashir Hasan said provinces could not be given autonomy by creating more units. Conditions could not be changed in Pakistan even if Punjab was divided into six provinces instead of two (as suggested by Dr Afgan).

He said conditions did not change in India even after it created more provinces. Conditions in Pakistan were more complex and “these people do not want to improve them because it is not in their interest”.

Dr Mubashir said indeed it was required to give autonomy to provinces. But autonomy could not be given without diluting Islamabad’s control over the district governments where powers should be transferred from the government officers to the elected representatives of the people.

The state power, including the police, magistracy, jails, tax collection and development, was in the hands of the government officers which should be transferred to the elected people, he said.

Noted writer and columnist Shafqat Tanvir Mirza said Dr Afgan’s statement was meant to divert attention of people from the real issues confronting the country. It was basically required to change the system and strengthen institutions in the country to improve conditions here.

He wondered as to how Dr Afgan wanted to divide Punjab. It was hard to draw a line in the province on the basis of language or region. And as to how he would divide the rivers in the province?

In fact, he said, the present system was being run by the president and it would remain so even if more provinces were created. Instead of creating more provinces, the existing ones should be given autonomy under the constitution.