DERA GHAZI KHAN, Nov 4: Administrative division of Punjab which comprises 56 per cent of the country’s population after a public consensus can end abhorrence of it among smaller provinces, believes Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari.

A former president and an incumbent MNA, Mr Leghari told journalists at his residence in Choti Zaireen on Saturday that a large-scale public consensus was necessary to make amendment to the Constitution in order to divide any province. But before the process, he stressed that the improvement of basic human index at all levels was vital.

He reiterated that he was in favour of an administrative division of Punjab. The distribution of the National Finance Commission award would be based on population, but the basic human index should be improved.

He said the concurrent list should be abolished and the federal list reviewed regarding the provincial autonomy which he supported a great deal.

Commenting on the “military intervention” in politics, the former president said this was against democracy and caused by violation of constitution by the political parties.

Mr Leghari said the National Security Council was the brainchild of his government as he had formed it through an executive order to end the military intervention.

As for the general election, he said an independent election commission and an interim government were cornerstone of transparent polling process at this juncture.

He further told newsmen that the Hudood Ordinance which was drafted in the late Gen Ziaul Haq regime was un-Islamic and the incumbent government had prepared a “purely Islamic bill” that should be passed.

White paper: Two MNAs from Dera have issued a white paper on 13 months of the district government, levelling serious allegations of mismanagement and corruption on the house.

MNAs Meena Jaafar Leghari and Jaafar Leghari claimed that the government had failed to protect the lives and property of the people and law and order situation worsened.

They alleged that the district government had failed to curb smuggling of petrol from Iran and contrabands to other parts of the country.

The health department had become the hub of corruption. Appointment of junior officers on important positions paved the way for corruption.

The district government failed to initiate any development scheme during the period, they maintained.

They said the office of district nazim was shifted illegally to the DCO office.

They have appealed to the president to take notice of the situation and help resolve the crisis.