Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said the PML-N considers the ongoing debate over the creation of new provinces premature, as political parties continue to clash over Pakistan’s administrative structure.
Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, Sanaullah said the recent resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly against dividing the province was similar to resolutions adopted in the past.
He said the intensity surrounding the issue had been unnecessary and criticised speeches in the Sindh Assembly that targeted the National Assembly.
PML-N says debate is premature
Sanaullah said the PML-N would announce its position when the appropriate time came, but maintained that a detailed debate on new provinces was premature at present.
He also said any referendum on the creation of provinces would first have to be taken up by parliament.
“If there is to be a referendum on provinces, it would first have to go to parliament,” he said.
The remarks come as Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal has proposed creating between 12 and 15 provinces and urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to form a committee to examine Pakistan’s administrative structure.
The debate resurfaced in July after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the existing governance system had “collapsed” and called for new administrative units.
Sanaullah criticises PPP’s approach
Sanaullah also criticised the PPP’s handling of the issue, suggesting the party was using the debate to maintain its political relevance.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the question of dividing Sindh was particularly important to the PPP’s politics.
He compared the latest controversy with the earlier dispute over canals, saying protests had also taken place across Sindh over that issue.
“We had dealt with Murad Ali Shah […] on the canals issue,” Sanaullah said, adding that the matter represented not only the PPP’s position but also “the voice of the people of Sindh”.
He accused the PPP of initially delaying its participation in the canal protests before eventually joining them, arguing that the party was now using the Sindh Assembly resolution and political speeches to gain an advantage.
Shazia Marri defends assemblies as forum
PPP spokesperson Shazia Marri, meanwhile, said assemblies were the appropriate forum for discussing the creation or restructuring of provinces.
Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Marri said opposition lawmakers had not clearly stated their position on the issue in the assembly, while PPP members had openly explained their stance.
She said opposition members had also made it clear during their speeches that they opposed dividing Sindh.
Responding to criticism from Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Marri said Pakistan was not a colony and argued that stronger federal units ultimately strengthened the federation.
She also rejected the idea that provinces should be created according to ethnic, linguistic or political preferences.
Khawaja Asif accuses PPP of ‘double standard’ over new provinces
Marri criticises local government proposals
Marri highlighted Sindh’s local government system and said it was the only province where such a system currently existed.
She criticised those who call for stronger local governments while supporting proposals that, according to her, do not provide for an effective local government system in Islamabad.
Calling the approach “hypocrisy”, Marri said political parties should clearly explain what administrative system they wanted.
She added that sensitive issues such as provincial boundaries should not be used for political point-scoring.
Mustafa Kamal pushes for administrative reforms
MQM-P senior leader and Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said stakeholders across Pakistan had reached the conclusion that the country could no longer be effectively governed under the existing system.
Speaking on Naya Pakistan, Kamal said the MQM-P had twice attempted to introduce a constitutional amendment relating to local governments.
He questioned what options remained if those attempts failed.
Kamal also criticised the PPP’s administrative structure in Karachi, claiming that the city, which was once a single district, had been divided into seven districts for political reasons.
He questioned why Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had remained silent on the broader debate over new provinces.
Debate over Pakistan’s provincial structure intensifies
The latest exchange highlights the growing divide among political parties over whether Pakistan needs new provinces, stronger local governments or a broader restructuring of its administrative system.
While PML-N leaders have described the debate as premature, PPP leaders have strongly opposed any move to divide Sindh. MQM-P, meanwhile, continues to press for greater administrative devolution and stronger local governments.
The issue is expected to remain politically sensitive as parties debate the future structure of Pakistan’s federation.
