Redrawing the Map of Pakistan
By: Tarique Khan Javed
President, Overseas Pakistani Investors Forum.

We Overseas Pakistanis feel ashamed that after the departure of British Raj, we have failed to take  some simple logical steps to better organize our country. The cases in point for example are as follows:

The current name of NWFP
Country's capital
The number and name of current provinces

NWFP:
As the British Empire stretched upto Burma in the East; the British name the newly accurried territory North West Frontier Province. It is an insult to the intelligence of 150 million Pakistanis, that we have, not been able to find an alternative respectable name for one of our provinces.

We therefore propose the following names:

The Capital
The current Capital of Pakistan -  Islamabad was chosen by Dictator Ayub Khan due to its proximity to his home and was not based of  any other logical consideration. The earlier capital Karachi chosen at the time of independence, was also chosen to serve the interest of a particular community that dominated power at that time.
Logic dictates that country's capital should be in a central location assessable by the whole country with equal ease. Both Islamabad and Karachi did not meet this  basic requirement.
Therefore we propose Dera Ghazi Khan (DGK)  or some point close to this location, to be the capital as it is the most central point of Pakistan. The fact that it is less developed and a neglected place is yet another reason why this point be chosen as the next capital

Provinces:
We propose creation of one more province in each existing province for better and effective governance and to reduce the prevailing provincialism in the country.

SINDH:
The current capital of Sindh is far from other parts of Sindh and the province is too large for effective governance and therefore it is proposed that the province may be split into two; one in the north and one in the South. The Northern Province which may retain the name of Sindh may start from Nawabshah till Kashmor  and may have its capital at Ranipur.
The southern province comprising of all area from Sanghar till Kati Bander may have its capital in Tando Allah Yar. The name of the new province is proposed as THAR or KALRI after natural features of the area or LATIF and JINNAH after prominent personalities of the Area.

BALUCHISTAN:
Quetta is a very distant place for people living in the coastal region of the province. Therefore it is proposed that one more province be created in the south. The southern province may start from all areas to the parallel of towns of  Kharan, Jhatpat and include the Homun I Moshkel dry lake and end at the coast.
The capital of new province is proposed to be the town of NAG as it is the most central point of the new area to be carved out.
The name of the southern province is proposed as MAKRAN or HALA or PAB after the name of three important mountain ranges of the area.

PUNJAB:
Lahore is a distant place for most part of Punjab and therefore it is proposed that the province may be divided into two. One comprising of the north starting from Fatahpur,Chichawatni and Arifwala in the south till Hassan Abdal in the north.
 This province may retain its name as Punjab and have its capital at SARGODHA, as it is the most central point of the new proposed province.
The Southern province stretching to the south till Sindh may have its capital at BAWALPUR as it is the most central point of the new proposed province.
 The name of the new province is proposed as PANJNAD or ZAKARIA or SARIAKI.

NWFP:
Pashawar is a very distant place for people of DASU/PATAN/HUNZA etc. The area is divided by big mountain range going north to south. Therefore it is proposed that the eastern areas of NWFP be made in to a new province. The new province may include Swat valley in the west stretching in the north upto Mastuj and Nekherdim and Terbala Dam area in the south. The new province may have DASU in the center, as its capital.
The name of the new province is proposed as Kohistan or Hunza or Swat.  

Conclusion:
Renaming of NWFP and creation of some new provinces are task overdue and must be done without further delay.
In our opinion redrawing of map of Pakistan is a logical requirement and an administrative need. It will  help distribute wealth in neglected areas and provide jobs and sense of participation to people currently cut out of the main stream. This will help the federation in a big way and have a major impact on the future of Pakistan. It will lay foundation for a rational, prosperous Pakistan where people will live with a sense of justice and brotherhood.