Sindh Minister Says New Provinces Need Constitutional Approval
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Tuesday said that any move to create new provinces in Pakistan must proceed strictly through the constitutional route, not through television debate or political pressure. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, the provincial minister said the matter required approval from elected forums and could not be settled through public statements alone.
Memon’s remarks came as the debate over new administrative units gained renewed political attention following earlier comments by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who had argued that Pakistan needed additional provinces or administrative units to address governance failures. The proposal has sparked reactions from major political parties, particularly in Sindh, where the issue has historically remained sensitive.
The Sindh minister said that the procedure for creating a province was already defined and involved Parliament as well as the concerned provincial assembly. He stressed that any such decision must pass through the National Assembly, the Senate and the relevant provincial legislature before it could move forward under the law.
Memon said political leaders were free to express opinions, but formal state decisions could not be made on talk shows. He stated that the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Sindh government had a clear position on the matter, adding that the public and their elected representatives would ultimately decide any question involving provincial boundaries.
The minister also referred to remarks by Rana Sanaullah, the prime minister’s adviser on political affairs, saying he had heard Sanaullah state on television that the issue had not been discussed in any cabinet meeting. Memon used that reference to question whether the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had an official position on the matter or was allowing the debate to continue without clarity.
He further criticised the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan after the party announced plans to initiate a wider national dialogue on new provinces and administrative units. MQM-P has argued that Pakistan’s population growth, urban governance challenges and concentration of power require new thinking about administrative devolution.
The debate is especially important in Sindh, where the idea of dividing the province has repeatedly drawn strong opposition from PPP leaders and nationalist political voices. Sindh government representatives have maintained that any attempt to create divisions in the province could deepen political tension and disturb social harmony.
The discussion also connects with broader questions about local government, service delivery and the unfinished promise of devolution after the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Supporters of new administrative units argue that existing provincial structures are too large to manage effectively, while opponents say stronger local governments and district-level authority should be prioritised instead of changing provincial boundaries.
For Pakistan, the issue carries major constitutional, political and social consequences. A serious push for new provinces would require cross-party consensus, provincial approval and careful management of public sentiment, especially in regions where identity, resources and representation remain deeply contested.
The next stage will depend on whether the federal government or any political party brings a formal proposal before Parliament. Until then, the debate is likely to continue across party forums, assemblies and media platforms, with Sindh’s leadership insisting that constitutional safeguards must remain central to any future decision.