Islamabad: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said the Punjab Assembly resolutions concerning South Punjab and Bahawalpur are no longer valid, as they were passed around 10 years ago.
Speaking in a television interview, Rana Sanaullah said that if a resolution is not implemented during the tenure of the assembly that passed it, it is then up to the succeeding assembly to decide whether to adopt a fresh resolution on the matter.
Responding to a question about making Islamabad a province, Sanaullah said the Election Commission of Pakistan had already issued a final warning to the government to hold local government elections in the federal capital under the local government law that has already been enacted.
On the ongoing debate over the creation of new provinces, the prime minister’s adviser said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was either remaining silent or did not want to become part of the debate.
He said Parliament was the appropriate forum for any discussion on the creation of new provinces.
Commenting on Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s statements regarding new provinces and seeking public opinion, Sanaullah said the prime minister had not stopped Naqvi from expressing his views and that he was free to say what he wanted.
However, he stressed that if a public referendum were to be held, it would have to take place with Parliament’s approval and in accordance with the Constitution, rather than on the basis of a minister’s statement.
