THE MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT TO NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR NEW PROVINCES

            Islamabad July 11, 2012: Following is the text of the message received from the President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan :


IN MATTER OF IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PAKISTAN AND PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF PUNJAB FOR CREATION OF TWO NEW PROVINCES NAMELY PROVINCE OF MULTAN AND PROVINCE OF BAHAWALPUR FROM THE EXISTING PROVINCE OF PUNJAB.

The National Assembly in its 41st Session in its meeting held on 3rd May, 2012 passed a resolution to the affect that in order to address the grievances and to secure the political, administrative and economic interest of the people of the southern region of the province of Punjab and to empower them in this regard, a new province to be known as province of Janoobi Punjab be created from the present province of the Punjab. The provincial assembly of Punjab has also passed a similar resolution demanding the parliament and the federal government to create a new province of Janoobi Punjab and also to revive the earlier status of Bahawalpur as a province ( copies of the resolutions are annexed)

2.                     In order to implement the aforesaid resolutions and before a process is initiated to amend the constitution in terms of Article 239 thereof it is expedient that a commission may be constituted comprising of six members from Senate to be nominated by the Chairman, six members from National Assembly to be nominated by the Speaker and two members from the provincial assembly of Punjab to be nominated by the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab. The Commission shall look into the issues relating to the fair distribution of economic and financial resources, demarcation, allocation/readjustment of seats in the National Assembly, Senate and the concern provincial assembly and allocation of seats in the new province on basis of population, including seats of minorities and women and other constitutional, legal and administrative matters. The provision of the constitution which would require amendment inter alia include Articles 1(2), 51, 59 and 106 of the Constitution,.

3.                     The commission shall submit its report to the Speaker as well as to the Prime Minster within thirty days of its notification in the official gazette, which will be followed by initiation of the process of amendment of the constitution.