Support for Hazara province in KP Assembly, thanks to PTI

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly said they would support the creation of Hazara province by endorsing a resolution in the assembly submitted by three party representatives from Hazara Division if the PTI leadership told them to do so.

The support has significance because it came from PTI MPAs elected in the Pakhtun-belt of the province. The Hindko-speaking people in Hazara division started a violent struggle for a separate province in anger against renaming of the erstwhile NWFP in 18th amendment in 2010. This was celebrated as success in the Pakhtun-belt by Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and others, as they saw it achievement of identity for Pakhtuns.

There was hardly any support for Hazara province in the previous assembly dominated by ANP and PPP. However, this assembly has negligible presence of ANP and PPP and there seems to be support for Hazara province. PTI has allowed its three MPAs from Abbottabad—Mushtaq Ghani, Qalandar Lodhi and Sardar Mohammad Idrees—to submit the resolution in the assembly that is likely to be tabled in its ongoing session.

PML-N that is supporting the demand of the Hazara people also has 17 members in the assembly. If passed, this would be the first resolution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly that would support the division of the province and the creation of the new province.

“We support the demand for Hazara province,” said Fazal Elahi, a PTI MPA from rural Peshawar. “We have no objection to this demand and there exists no differences in our party on the issue,” he added. The MPA was confident that their support would not annoy their voters. Certain other PTI members of the assembly shared this opinion.

Mahmood Jan, another PTI MPA from a rural constituency in Peshawar, favoured creation of more provinces and said it would have no negative impact. “If Afghanistan and India could have a large number of provinces why couldn’t we have?” he argued. “Hazara province is not the people’s issue. People want relief from price-hike, measures against corruption and other issues that affect them,” he added. He said the party had not discussed this issue yet as it was the initiative of ‘a few people.’

It appears the PTI has not briefed its lawmakers on its policy on Hazara. Amjad Ali, a PTI MPA from Swat, also said the party had yet to hold discussions on the issue.

Some members privately said the resolution appeared a political gimmick as it would not result in the creation of Hazara province. The PTI’s willingness to allow the three lawmakers to submit the resolution seems to be an attempt to please them and placate the people in Hazara.

PTI promised during the election campaign that it would support the creation of Hazara province. The PTI’s official version on Hazara province could not be obtained. Ishtiaq Urmar, PTI’s provincial information secretary, did not answer calls. The central spokesperson Shireen Mazari ignored calls and a text message.

Amjad Ali, the MPA from Swat, added new dimension to the submission of resolution for Hazara province. “Though I don’t oppose Hazara province, I will better wait for the party policy. But if new units as small as Hazara could be created, then Malakand division better qualifies for a new province,” he said. “And such a demand can also come from the southern districts,” he added, warning it could open a Pandora’s box.

Amir Muqam, PML-N leader from Shangla district of Malakand division, has many times taken up demand for status of province to the seven districts of the division. However, he or any other leader did not turn the demand to a struggle.

Controversy rages after PTI govt appoints army of parliamentary secretaries

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: The newly-appointed parliamentary secretaries said on Wednesday, a day after their appointment that drew flak from people and opposition lawmakers, that the move would improve the performance of the provincial government and contribute to good governance.

The parliamentary secretaries, who talked to The News, said their appointment would ease the pressure of mounting work on the provincial ministers who were focusing on reforms in their respective departments.

However, critics alleged that the PTI-led coalition government was trying to give an official position to every member of the treasury benches. Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, through an executive order, appointed a battalion of 31 parliamentary secretaries, a decision that a lawmaker announced to take to the court. The province already had an oversized cabinet of 25 people and the fresh appointments are being seen as negative both by people and lawmakers from the opposition. “We are taking up new responsibilities but no perks and privileges,” said Fazal Elahi, who was also appointed as a parliamentary secretary. “We won’t be offered salaries and allowances, and it seems difficult that we will have the facility of official car and office,” he added.

The parliamentary secretaries said the government had initiated reforms in all sectors and every minister was burdened with work. The parliamentary secretaries, they said, would assist the ministers in the provincial assembly and in offices. “We will help the ministers in understanding different issues that crop up in their ministries,” said Meraj Humayun Khan, an MPA from Qaumi Watan Party. “We will prepare answers for the ministers to questions asked on the floor of the House or represent them in the assembly if they are not attending the session,” she added. Her party already has three ministers in the cabinet.

Some parliamentary secretaries said their appointment would improve the performance of the PTI government. “This decision will surely have a positive impact on the performance of our government. More people would now be looking after the affairs of the same ministry and the ministers will have less work to do and more time to focus on the performance of their departments,” Fazal Elahi said.

He argued it was a step towards good governance, something the PTI government has been trumpeting on.Mehmood Jan, another newly-appointed parliamentary secretary, said the departments would come under further check by them and this would contribute to good governance. He said the parliamentary secretaries would sometimes correct the ministers if they made mistakes and suggest new ideas to the ministry.

Provincial Law Minister Israrullah Gandapur argued that the decision is legal and constitutional. “The appointment of parliamentary secretaries would not add to the cabinet’s strength as they are not members of the cabinet,” he said.

Under 18th Amendment in the Constitution, the size of the cabinet could not exceed 11 percent of the total strength of the assembly. A vocal opposition lawmaker, Nighat Orakzai, disagreed with the law minister. She said it was illegal and unconstitutional and announced to move the court against the decision. “I will take a stay order from the court,” she said. “I will raise this issue in the provincial assembly,” she added.

Nighat Orakzai said the parliamentary secretaries would waste money of the taxpayers. She belied the government’s assertions that the parliamentary secretaries would have no extra benefits and said they would have cars and offices and would draw salaries and allowances from the provincial exchequer. “Parliamentary secretary is just like a minister,” she asserted.

The female lawmaker, who belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), said one ministry was now run by four people: the minister, a consultant, an advisor or a special assistant and parliamentary secretary.

“All of them draw salaries and allowances from the government,” she said, adding that nothing could improve the PTI government’s performance. “They should admit they are incapable of running the government and step down,” she said. A parliamentary secretary, Arbab Jehandad Khan, described the appointment as “worthless.”

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