The Senate’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice has approved the parliamentary committee’s report pertaining to the formation of a new province with a majority. The report was rejected by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The committee consists of Law Minister Farooq Naek, Aitzaz Ahsan, Jehangir Badar, Farhatullah Babar, Raja Zafarul Haq and Zafar Ali Shah.
Rejected the report, Senator Raja Zafarul Haq from the PML-N stated that it was incomplete.Law Minister Naek stated that the formation of a new province would be done on administrative not ethnic basis, adding that the constitution did not prohibit the formation of new provinces but an amendment would be needed to Article 1.

Aitzaz Ahsan, expressing his views on the issue, said a new province could not be formed under the constitution and article 239 needed to be amended first. He added that if a bill for the formation of a new province was presented under the present scenario it would be challenged in court.The law minister said that the report would soon be presented in the Senate.

Separately, talking to media, Law Minister Naek warned that democratic process could be affected if governor rule was not lifted in Balochistan. He said that demand for handing of Quetta to army has come from the politicians. He emphasised that Army should be kept away from issues like law and order in Quetta and the politicians should settle it through dialogues.

He said any decision about Balochistan would be taken in line with the aspirations of the people and for sustenance of democracy. He favoured the restoration of provincial government in Balochistan, saying if not done so, democratic process would be in danger.

Naek said the government never followed the policy of confrontation with the judiciary. He said it would be in the larger interest of Balochistan and the country if all the stakeholders including the executive and the judiciary jointly ponder how to improve the situation.
To a question, the minister said the government would not hesitate to call a joint sitting of the parliament on Balochistan if the need was felt. He said any longevity in the tenure of the caretaker government would be against national interest.