'Parliament cannot be bypassed on provinces'

ISLAMABAD BUREAU —Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Friday said that parliament and provincial assemblies could not be "bypassed or negated" in the process of creating new provinces, saying any move to determine public opinion through a referendum must follow constitutional procedures.

Speaking on the private television programme, Chaudhry said the PML-N believed the creation of new provinces required national consensus, which could only be achieved through the involvement and agreement of all political parties. He said the Constitution laid down a procedure for creating new provinces, including a role for provincial assemblies.

"Accordingly, the role of the provincial assemblies cannot be bypassed or negated. This is not appropriate," he said. Chaudhry reiterated that parliament, where all political parties were represented, was the most appropriate forum for building consensus on the issue. "Even if you want to bypass the role of parliament and provincial assemblies in this matter, then there should be a method for that as well.

It cannot happen simply through verbal statements," he said. He added that if a referendum showed public support for new provinces, lawmakers would have to consider the majority's wishes.