LAHORE: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said the “best solution” on the issue of new provinces is to seek public opinion, adding that all political parties’ views are necessary.
“If the people say new provinces should not be created, then I am with the people,” Naqvi said while talking to the media at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Lahore.
He said everyone has their own stance on new provinces, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has its own position as well. “If there is any other best solution besides this, we should go to the people for that too,” he added. Naqvi said all parties, including the PPP and the PML-N, are important for the government. “The PML-N and all of us are together,” he said, adding that nothing would be decided through disagreement. “If everyone agrees, everything will happen.”
It is pertinent to mention here that the PPP strongly opposes the creation of new provinces in Sindh, the stronghold of the Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led party.
Addressing a ceremony in Larkana on Monday, Bilawal had called for a “political reset” rather than new provinces amid prevailing economic hardships in the country.
Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had backed the creation of new provinces in Pakistan, saying even 12 could be considered, provided they are established on administrative rather than ethnic or political grounds.
Speaking to media in Sialkot on Sunday, the defence minister said the proposal to create new provinces had been under discussion for the past two months, with opinions emerging from across the country. –Agencies
