“Facts are stubborn things, and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams.”

The people of small provinces cannot take lightly the admission of Minister Muhsin Naqvi about the collapse of the present system leading to the current political and economic crises, and his unambiguous proposal for the balkanisation of the existing province. They believe that the establishment is behind his statement, which not only stirs a hornets’ nest, antagonising powerful political parties and dynasties, but also represents a deeper purpose of weakening the political and legislative strength of the smaller federal constituents, rendering them vulnerable to manipulation, intimidation and control, and preventing them from resisting the usurpation of their natural resources and political and economic autonomy.

They have walked past their earlier naivety, and learnt hard lessons from our evolutionary political odyssey and the lopsided process of nation building, by going through a plethora of frequently changing governing structures. They have come out of their self-imposed immaturity of believing in vapid words of national spirit and sacrifice. They have a clear conscience that they were never party to the weakening of the federal spirit or the derailment of constitutional governance.

The way the previous amendments (26 and 27) to the 1973 Constitution were made has also shaken the public confidence in the promises of the political parties involved in the process, including the Pakistan People’s Party and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). The lawmakers of........

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