Bilawal, Zardari Reject Sindh Division After Five-Hour London Meeting

LONDON: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari have agreed to maintain the party's opposition to any move to divide Sindh, following an extended meeting in London as the national debate over creating new provinces gathers political momentum. Party sources said the discussions lasted about five hours and focused heavily on Sindh's territorial integrity as well as the wider political situation in Pakistan.

The meeting took place at President Zardari's London residence and was also attended by Bilawal's sister, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, according to the report. Sources said the PPP leadership reviewed recent political developments and discussed the party's response to proposals for restructuring Pakistan's administrative units. They said the leadership decided that the party would continue to resist any division of Sindh. A recent speech by PPP leader Faryal Talpur was also among the matters considered.

The London discussions came shortly after the Sindh Assembly adopted a resolution on September 3 rejecting proposals to divide the province, change its boundaries or establish new administrative units from its territory. The resolution reinforced the PPP's position at the provincial level and stated the assembly's opposition to territorial changes involving Sindh.

The controversy has developed from a broader national discussion about Pakistan's existing administrative structure. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had earlier argued that the country's governance arrangements were no longer functioning effectively and called for consideration of additional administrative units. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal subsequently proposed a national debate on creating between 12 and 15 provinces, while stressing the need for political consensus before any major restructuring.

Bilawal has publicly maintained that changes involving provinces should be approached through agreement among political stakeholders rather than imposed unilaterally. On questions directly affecting Sindh, he has said the provincial assembly is the appropriate forum for discussion. The PPP has therefore positioned its resistance to Sindh's division as distinct from a broader debate over administrative reform elsewhere in the country.

The issue has also sharpened exchanges between coalition partners and senior federal figures. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused the PPP of applying different standards by supporting the concept of a Saraiki province in Punjab while strongly resisting proposals involving Sindh. Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, meanwhile, described the current debate over new provinces as premature and said any referendum-related process would first have to pass through parliament.

The disagreement is significant because changes to Pakistan's provincial structure would require extensive political negotiations and could affect relations among parties that cooperate at the federal level while holding sharply different positions on regional questions. The PPP's decision in London indicates that the party intends to keep Sindh's existing boundaries at the centre of its response as discussions continue over devolution, governance and possible new administrative units.

After the meeting, Bilawal and Bakhtawar left President Zardari's residence. Bilawal told reporters that he expected to remain in London for the next few days. No new formal restructuring plan was announced following the talks, leaving the immediate focus on political consultations, parliamentary debate and the positions adopted by provincial legislatures as the issue develops.