A major development emerged this week as iSLAMABAD: As senators from the treasury and opposition traded accusations during Wednesday ’ s budget debate in the Senate, PPP Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan demanded a separate South Punjab province. “ Seven million children are born in Pakistan annually, more than in all of Europe.

Background

What is happening now can be traced back to a series of decisions and events that preceded it.

The senator noted that when a province becomes too large, bifurcation becomes necessary.

He also demanded an industrial zone, a high court, and a separate share in the Nationwide Finance Commission ( NFC) award for South Punjab, along with agricultural and IT universities.

Compounding the significance of these events, separately, an independent senator from Balochistan claimed that independent power producers ( IPPs) were behind the reversal of the government ’ s solar policy.

Analysis

Those following the situation closely say this marks a meaningful shift.

Senator Abdul Qadir said the government has to pay Rs1.8 trillion in capacity charges.

According to those with knowledge of the situation, “ Because of electricity, both the poor and the rich are suffering, ” he noted, adding that IPPs had even succeeded in getting the government ’ s approved solar policy reversed.

In what observers are describing as a key detail, pML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took charge when Pakistan faced the risk of being placed on the FATF grey list and a Sri Lanka-like situation.

National Impact

This marks the beginning of a process whose full implications are yet to be determined.

He also criticised the PTI government ’ s economic team for changing four finance ministers in two and a half years and appointing Nadeem Babar — “ who himself was an IPP owner ” — as energy adviser.

Reports further indicate that another PML-N senator, Agha Shahzeb Durrani, alleged that PTI had started work on Pakistan ’ s denuclearisation.

Reports further indicate that the senator further said the PML-N government managed the petrol crisis well and had started work on doubling the size of the Karachi-Quetta highway.

In what observers are describing as a key detail, in May, a session of the Punjab Assembly erupted into chaos as PPP lawmaker Mumtaz Chang threatened to push for a separate Seraiki province and form an independent government if the grievances of his constituency continued to be ignored.

Further developments have shed additional light on the matter. in February, the in-charge of the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee of the MQM-P, Zahid Malik, accused the PPP of adopting double standards on the issue, questioning why it supported new provinces in South Punjab but adopted a different stance on the matter when it came to Sindh and Karachi.

What Happens Next

A clearer picture is expected to emerge as more information comes to light in the days ahead. Until then, this development remains a pivotal point in an ongoing story with significant national implications.