Multan:
The Punjab Group of Colleges President Mian Amer Mahmood has said that creating new provinces is an urgent need as it would bring development, make politicians more responsible and give people justice and basic facilities in a better way.
“The formation of new provinces would also reduce spending,” Mahmood said on Tuesday while talking at a private university. He said Pakistan currently has four provinces, with Punjab alone consisting of 51 percent of the population.
Punjab, with its 130 million people, is larger than three other units combined, which is why it is often criticized. Only 13 countries in the world have populations larger than Punjab, he added.
He said that Balochistan, though the largest after area, had a very small population at the time of independence, but its population has now risen rapidly.
“We give power to the president and the prime minister through our vote so that they can solve people’s problems. Supporting the government means supporting public welfare.
“All over the world, governments work for public welfare and form less provinces, so facilities reach people at their doorstep,” he said.
With reference to a World Bank Report, he said, deprivation is widespread in the country. “In 80 years we have only developed five cities. Facilities are limited to five capitals. Until forces are rejected for the grass roots, the country cannot move on,” he added.
Mahmood compared Pakistan to China and India. He said China has 31 provinces, India has 39 states, while Pakistan, despite being the fifth most populous country, has only four provinces. He said the world’s top ten most populous countries evolved by sharing their territories for better governance.
