Karachi should be made separate province: Senate Deputy Chairman Afridi

• Senator Afridi suggests carving out 3 provinces from Balochistan, Punjab.
• “The more provinces there are in Pakistan, the better it will be," he says.
• "People of FATA have many concerns and are facing difficulties," he adds.

ISLAMABAD: Senate Deputy Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi has suggested carving out nine more provinces, including Karachi, as a solution for better administration.

In an interview, the senator recommended forming three provinces each in Balochistan and Punjab, two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and one in Sindh.

Afridi, an independent lawmaker, said that KP’s Hazara district and tribal areas (formerly Fata) be made separate administrative units.

“The more provinces there are in Pakistan, the better it will be. If new provinces are formed in the country, the problems will be solved,” Mirza Afridi said.

When asked about how the resources will then be shared, he said, after the 18th amendment, the provinces will continue to get their share.

The senator added that if new provinces are formed they will continue to get a share under the NFC (National Finance Commission) award, lamenting that the government has not fulfilled the promises made with FATA.

“Even today the people of FATA have many concerns and are facing difficulties,” the lawmaker said.

Afridi further said that he has also raised the issue of funds with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.