New provinces, administrative units need of hour: Aleem Khan

ISLAMABAD, Sep 17 (APP):Federal Minister for Communications and President Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Abdul Aleem Khan, on Thursday said creation of new provinces and administrative units was needed to improve governance and ensure provision of basic facilities and public services to citizens at their doorsteps.

He expressed these views during a meeting with Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, who called on him here and discussed the formation of new provinces and administrative units, as well as the prevailing national and political situation, said a press release.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf thanked Abdul Aleem Khan for his support for the formation of Hazara Province in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and appreciated his stance on the creation of new provinces in the country.

During the meeting, Abdul Aleem Khan said that the issue of new provinces was not about dividing existing provinces but improving their administrative organization. He said that the creation of new administrative units in all four provinces was the need of the hour so that basic facilities and public services could be provided to citizens at their doorsteps.

He said that the focus should not be limited to politics; rather, efforts must be made to find better solutions to public problems. He emphasized that ensuring access to education, healthcare and other basic necessities of life for every citizen is the responsibility of the state.

The minister said that the existing provincial system had totally failed to extend public services at the required level. While the world was progressing rapidly, he said, Pakistan was still holding on to an administrative structure that was several decades old. Therefore, he stressed, serious consideration must be given to reforms and a more effective administrative system in accordance with the needs of the present time.

Abdul Aleem Khan said there was nothing wrong with having healthy and serious discussions on the issue of new provinces and administrative units. All political forces should move forward through dialogue on this important national issue and avoid any kind of deadlock.

He said that the identification of the need for new provinces and better administrative distribution by various political parties was a welcome development. “This is not the issue of any one political party or leader; rather, it concerns the future of the country and its people,” he added.

The two federal ministers expressed hope that the ongoing positive debate on the creation of new provinces and administrative units would lead to a practical and constructive development in the future.

They said further positive developments on the matter could emerge soon.

During the meeting, the two leaders also exchanged views on other matters of mutual interest as well as the prevailing national and political situation.