QUETTA, Feb 17: Punjab is ready to draft a new social contract, and address the concerns of smaller federating units in the next National Finance Commission award to address concerns of smaller provinces, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif said told a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House here on Tuesday.

He said a national conference should be convened to chalk out a formula for drafting a new social contract.

“All political groups inside and outside parliament should be invited to the conference to develop a consensus on the social contract, strengthening the federation,” Mr Sharif said.

“We should agree on a new social contract and it should be re-written.” Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, PML-N secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa and Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasar accompanied the Punjab chief minister.

Mr Shahbaz said that the country needed a new social contract to address problems at the provincial level and for replacing misunderstandings with a sense of brotherhood among the provinces. This would lead to a strong federation, he said.

“The new social contract should accord equal development opportunities for all provinces, which should have complete control over their resources,” the Punjab chief minister said, adding that his province would have no objection to such a deal.

He said that all provinces should jointly strive to develop a consensus for the new compact.

Shahbaz Sharif said that there should be no problem because elected governments were working at the centre and in provinces, and the only thing required was initiative.

Pakistan’s resources were joint assets of all provinces and they should be given equal rights, Mr Shahbaz observed. He also supported the smaller provinces’ demand for control over their resources.

In reply to a question about the NFC award, Mr Shahbaz said Punjab was ready to remove the concerns of smaller provinces. “Punjab will not object if NFC formula is reviewed with the consensus of the provinces and the federation.”

He said that Balochistan deserved special attention for delivering it from the poverty trap. Indicators other than population, including backwardness and area, should be considered for the distribution of resources among provinces in the new NFC award, Mr Shahbaz suggested.

“I assure with full authority … that Punjab will not oppose the review of the NFC formula to the satisfaction of smaller provinces,” Mr Shahbaz said, adding that provincial governments should try to redress real problems and issues. “We must change the tradition of imposing the decision of a minority over majority.”

Referring to Balochistan grievances, the Punjab chief minister said that all political parties should come forward and help bring Baloch nationalist parties into the mainstream. “We have to remove bitterness. Otherwise, it will lead to greater problems in future,” he said.

Stressing the need for healing wounds inflicted on the people of Balochistan in the past, he said that finding a durable solution to Balochistan’s problems was the responsibility of all political parties.

Mr Shahbaz said that the federal government should ensure that the same situation did not arise again. Calling for the removal of misunderstandings, he said his visit was aimed at promoting coordination and abridging differences and dispelling misconceptions between Punjab and Balochistan.

Blaming military rulers for the messy situation in Pakistan, Mr Shahbaz said they had never allowed democracy to flourish.

He said militancy in Pakistan was a consequence of deprivation, unemployment and injustices committed by dictators, who had ruled the country for 32 years.

Accusing the generals of killing Nawab Mohammad Akbar Khan Bugti, he said they also committed atrocities against the people of Balochistan. “Elected federal and provincial governments are trying to improve the situation.”

Mr Shahbaz announced a donation of Rs1.25 billion for the construction of a cardiology institute in Quetta and for setting up a free dialysis facility, adding that Balochistan’s districts bordering Punjab would get 20,000 tons of wheat as a “gesture of goodwill”.