Dancer Mehak Malik Calls for a Separate Province for Her Community

LAHORE: The debate over the creation of new administrative provinces in Pakistan has now drawn attention from figures in the entertainment and stage industry, with renowned stage performer and dancer Mehak Malik calling for a separate province and chief minister for her community.

In a video statement on the issue of creating new provinces, Mehak Malik said the population of Punjab and other provinces had increased significantly and that granting provincial status to major cities on administrative grounds had become an important need.

Supporting the division of existing provinces, she said Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Multan were major cities and should be made separate provinces. However, she added that her community should also have a separate province with its own chief minister.

Drawing a comparison with the existing political system and provincial governance, the stage performer referred to Sindh and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Mehak Malik argued that if Bilawal Bhutto Zardari could run the provincial government in Sindh, there was no reason why a woman from her community could not serve as chief minister and run a separate province effectively.

Her remarks have added an unconventional voice to the ongoing political and public debate over the creation of new provinces and administrative divisions in the country.