Senate panel approves increase in Balochistan Assembly seats

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Law and Justice greenlit a constitutional bill seeking to expand the Balochistan Provincial Assembly, increasing general seats from 51 to 65.

Chairman Senator Farooq Hamid Naek presided over the committee at Parliament House on Wednesday. This sub-committee was constituted to deliberate on “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Amendment of Article 106).”

The Bill, introduced by Senator Manzoor Ahmad and Senator Danesh Kumar, proposed an increase in the general seats of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly from 51 to 65 due to the vast area of the province. Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro said that we have proposed to increase the seats in Balochistan from 65 to 80. Senator Kamran Murtaza called for increasing the number of Balochistan’s seas in the National Assembly. Committee Chairman Farooq H Naik said that the report does not say how many seats will be there for women and minorities and said this bill will be sent to the Law Ministry.

Senator Zameer Hussain Ghambro said that the reserved seats will automatically increase with an increase in the number of general seats. Following the discussion, Chairman Farooq H Naek said the documents of The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Amendment of Article 106) mention fewer seats, and we have to ‘approve that language’. This finally cleared the way for the subcommittee’s report to be approved.The Senate Committee on Law and Justice also discussed the proposed amendments to Articles 1, 51, 59, 106, 154, 175A, 198, and 218 of the Constitution for the creation of the ‘South Punjab’ province.

Senator Aon Abbas, the mover of the Bill, argued that 40pc of the population of Punjab resides in South Punjab but they lack adequate health and education facilities. Of the total 50,112 primary, middle, and higher schools in Punjab, only 13,446 schools are located in South Punjab. Of the total 2,461 basic health units in Punjab, only 754 are located in the three divisions of South Punjab. The people of South Punjab have to travel to Lahore for their basic needs, which is 850 km away from Rahim Yar Khan.

He demanded that the new province, ‘South Punjab,’ be created on an administrative basis. The members expressed different opinions on the proposed amendments, while Senator Kamran Murtaza stated that the creation of a new province will weaken the position of other provinces especially Balochistan in the Upper House of Parliament, which gives equal representation. However, Senator Hamid Khan opined that a public debate should be held on the issue, as it primarily concerns the people.

The Committee referred the issue to the Ministry of Law and Justice to submit a comprehensive report on the bill, keeping in view the constitutional, financial, historical, and parity aspects of the Bill. Additionally, the Committee deliberated on “The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2024.” The Bill was moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. Chairman Committee Senator Farooq Hamid Naek termed the bill necessary to address the plight of women and children. The Senate panel Committee also ratified the nomination of Senator Hamid Khan as a member Board of Governors of the Legal and Justice Aid Authority.