B A H AW A L P U R : Former information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has announced the launch of a movement for the restoration of Bahawalpur province and the creation of 11 other smaller administrative units and provinces across the country.
Speaking at a news conference at the Bahawalpur Press Club on Monday, Mr Durrani, a staunch supporter of the restoration of Bahawalpur province, said the four-province system was a legacy of the colonial era and that new provinces should be created to improve governance and ensure a fair distribution of resources.
He said the campaign for new provinces and smaller administrative units would continue and could not be stopped. He also called for introducing a new local government system across the country, saying Pakistan’s political structure should be based on newly created provinces and empowered local governments.
Mr Durrani said the creation of new provinces would ensure a more equitable distribution of national resources and improve the provision of basic services, including healthcare, education and employment opportunities, to ordinary citizens.
He argued that the existing administrative system had failed to address public needs, a fact, he said, acknowledged even by government ministers. The creation of new provinces was, therefore, essential to improving governance and bringing administrative powers closer to the people.
Referring to the demand for the restoration of Bahawalpur province, Mr Durrani reminded the ruling PML-N leadership that two separate resolutions had already been passed by the Punjab Assembly during its previous tenures one seeking therestoration of Bahawalpur province and the other calling for the creation of south Punjab province.
He said the resolutions were still part of the assembly’s official record and urged the PML-N leadership to honour its commitments.
Mr Durrani maintained that the creation of new provinces would facilitate the devolution of powers to lower administrative levels, which, he said, was the essence of true democracy.
He warned that political parties opposing the creation of new provinces would risk losing public support, arguing that the demand reflected the aspirations of the people.
ACCIDENTS: An unidentified child was killed and another injured when a pick-up truck hit their motorcycle in Bahawalpur district on Monday.
In a separate road accident, a man was injured, while a young woman died by suicide over a family dispute.
According to Rescue 1122 officials in Bahawalpur and Ahmedpur East, a double-cabin pickup truck hit a motorcycle carrying two unidentified boys near Lalloo Thee Mori, close to Uch Sharif, about 70 kilometres from Bahawalpur.
One of the boys died on the spot, while the other, who sustained serious injuries, was shifted to the Uch Sharif health centre. Police arrested the pickup driver.
In another accident, a motorcyclist, Allah Baksh (35), was injured when his bike collided with a bullock cart. He was shifted to hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, Rehana (20) allegedly took her own life by hanging herself at her house at Chak No. 37/DNB, in Yazman tehsil, following a family dispute.
Police and Rescue 1122 personnel reached the scene. After completing the necessary legal formalities, the body was handed over to her parents.