Comments on: The question of Pakistan’s provincialism http://www.razarumi.com/2009/07/05/the-question-of-pakistans-provincialism/ In search of the unsearchable: O, my soul! where would you find your house? Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:33:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Shaheryar Ali http://www.razarumi.com/2009/07/05/the-question-of-pakistans-provincialism/comment-page-1/#comment-13186 Shaheryar Ali Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:31:18 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/?p=1718#comment-13186 Perhaps this would be important "Yet this is a truth people so easily seem to forget and begin to prize local, sectional or provincial interests above and regardless of the national interests. It naturally pains me to find the "curse of provincialism" holding sway over any section of Pakistan. Pakistan must be rid of this "evil". Jinnah in reply to the Civic Address presented by the Quetta Municipality on 15th June, 1948 What he said in Dacca is too painful to quote, but that was the start of it when movement for "national rights" for linguistic and socio-cultural identity was subverted by declaring it "provincialism" It is not the issue of provinces. East Pakistan was a province, Balochistan is a province. Issue was and is something else. Its not provincial autonomy because , Balochs are not even demanding it now Perhaps this would be important
“Yet this is a truth people so easily seem to forget and begin to prize local, sectional or provincial interests above and regardless of the national interests. It naturally pains me to find the “curse of provincialism” holding sway over any section of Pakistan. Pakistan must be rid of this “evil”.
Jinnah in reply to the Civic Address presented by the Quetta Municipality on 15th June, 1948

What he said in Dacca is too painful to quote, but that was the start of it when movement for “national rights” for linguistic and socio-cultural identity was subverted by declaring it “provincialism”

It is not the issue of provinces. East Pakistan was a province, Balochistan is a province. Issue was and is something else. Its not provincial autonomy because , Balochs are not even demanding it now

]]> By: Shaheryar Ali http://www.razarumi.com/2009/07/05/the-question-of-pakistans-provincialism/comment-page-1/#comment-13185 Shaheryar Ali Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:21:04 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/?p=1718#comment-13185 I think calling it "Provincialism" is de-contextualizing it. The issue is National question and national rights. the movements who have been leading it are quite allergic to term provincialism Provincialism is what Pakistani elite has always termed it, from Jinnah in Dacca to Musharaaf in Quetta I think calling it “Provincialism” is de-contextualizing it. The issue is National question and national rights. the movements who have been leading it are quite allergic to term provincialism
Provincialism is what Pakistani elite has always termed it, from Jinnah in Dacca to Musharaaf in Quetta

]]> By: Muhammad Usman http://www.razarumi.com/2009/07/05/the-question-of-pakistans-provincialism/comment-page-1/#comment-11676 Muhammad Usman Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:35:39 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/?p=1718#comment-11676 Since my teen since 60s, I have heard passionate arguments about whether the five provinces of Pakistan including East Pakistan should be divided into multiple smaller provinces. But nothing was done by ruling class as it was not in their interest and East Pakistan got separated. The discussion has, once again, gained impetus but this time the focus is on the Punjab and converting Punjab into a separate Saraiki, Potwari and Lahore provinces The political optics of the situation remain in flux. The PML(N) has reacted to the current discussion with suspicion seeing this as a ploy by PPP to break the PML’s hold over the Punjab. The PPP has reacted, for the moment, saying that no such move is on the cards. Irrespective of political motives I think creating new provinces in Southern and northern Punjab is a good idea and this may mean, creating more provinces from other provinces I think 8 to 10 provinces from the current four provinces plus AJK must be redrawn along lines consistent with historic, linguistic and cultural affinities We should reconsider the provinces not just along the lines of existing provinces but across existing lines using languagist and cultural background straddle across current provinces and AJK My motivation is based on demographic concerns of concentration of populations, resources and, therefore, power in one province and the frustration real or imaginary felt in other provinces. I am sympathetic to developmental argument that creating smaller provinces will also de-centralize power and localize opportunities each provincial capital will have to develop infrastructure and create local employment and opportunities and therefore development opportunities will get spread around the country rather than being centralized Beside Federal Government will also decentralize departments at smaller provinces to accelerate local developments all around. This should be done by democratic process as it is a deep demand of the area itself and demand of Separate minority Province may be also be carved out from southwestern parts of Punjab You counseled correctly that this is the time to act. There is no room for further procrastination in tackling the ailments of the federal system. I think decentralization and a delegation of powers to the administrative units (and more of them) might make governance more effective, and perhaps remove some of the inter-ethnic tensions caused by the perception wrongly or rightly that the all powerful center is inherently biased towards one or the other ethnic group. I feel creation of more provinces would alleviate sense of deprivation among people of ignored areas and lead to their welfare through decentralization of powers and good governance local staff with provincial autonomy Keep it up the good work Muhammad Usman Since my teen since 60s, I have heard passionate arguments about whether the five provinces of Pakistan including East Pakistan should be divided into multiple smaller provinces. But nothing was done by ruling class as it was not in their interest and East Pakistan got separated.
The discussion has, once again, gained impetus but this time the focus is on the Punjab and converting Punjab into a separate Saraiki, Potwari and Lahore provinces The political optics of the situation remain in flux. The PML(N) has reacted to the current discussion with suspicion seeing this as a ploy by PPP to break the PML’s hold over the Punjab. The PPP has reacted, for the moment, saying that no such move is on the cards. Irrespective of political motives I think creating new provinces in Southern and northern Punjab is a good idea and this may mean, creating more provinces from other provinces I think 8 to 10 provinces from the current four provinces plus AJK must be redrawn along lines consistent with historic, linguistic and cultural affinities We should reconsider the provinces not just along the lines of existing provinces but across existing lines using languagist and cultural background straddle across current provinces and AJK
My motivation is based on demographic concerns of concentration of populations, resources and, therefore, power in one province and the frustration real or imaginary felt in other provinces. I am sympathetic to developmental argument that creating smaller provinces will also de-centralize power and localize opportunities each provincial capital will have to develop infrastructure and create local employment and opportunities and therefore development opportunities will get spread around the country rather than being centralized Beside Federal Government will also decentralize departments at smaller provinces to accelerate local developments all around. This should be done by democratic process as it is a deep demand of the area itself and demand of Separate minority Province may be also be carved out from southwestern parts of Punjab
You counseled correctly that this is the time to act. There is no room for further procrastination in tackling the ailments of the federal system. I think decentralization and a delegation of powers to the administrative units (and more of them) might make governance more effective, and perhaps remove some of the inter-ethnic tensions caused by the perception wrongly or rightly that the all powerful center is inherently biased towards one or the other ethnic group.
I feel creation of more provinces would alleviate sense of deprivation among people of ignored areas and lead to their welfare through decentralization of powers and good governance local staff with provincial autonomy
Keep it up the good work
Muhammad Usman

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