PTI Chief Warns Against Dividing Sindh Without Public Consent

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has warned that any move to divide Sindh without the consent of its people could weaken the federation, adding to an intensifying national debate over proposals for creating new provinces and administrative units. Speaking outside the Supreme Court on Monday, Gohar called for broad political consultation before changes to provincial boundaries are considered.

Gohar said the creation of new provinces was a serious constitutional and political matter that should not be pursued hastily or through controversial legislation. He argued that decisions affecting Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan or other parts of the country should reflect the wishes of residents and their elected representatives rather than being imposed without consensus.

The PTI chairman's remarks come as discussion over restructuring Pakistan's administrative map gains momentum. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently said new administrative units would eventually be created and called for a wider reset of the country's governance system. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has separately suggested expanding Pakistan's existing four-province structure to between 12 and 15 provinces, arguing that greater administrative decentralisation deserves national debate.

The issue has become particularly sensitive in Sindh, where political resistance to any division of the province remains strong. The Sindh Assembly has rejected proposals aimed at altering the province's boundaries, while Pakistan Peoples Party leaders have repeatedly stated that they oppose dividing Sindh. The competing positions have transformed what was initially a governance discussion into a broader political dispute touching on provincial identity, representation and federal cohesion.

Gohar said any serious discussion on restructuring the federation should involve consultation comparable to the political engagement that preceded the 18th Amendment. He maintained that experiments carried out without consent could create new complications rather than improve governance. His intervention places PTI among the parties demanding that public and political agreement precede any formal restructuring plan.

The PTI chairman also addressed the wider political situation, criticising what he described as a lack of progress in dialogue with the federal government. He called for party leaders and family members to be permitted to meet imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan and stressed the importance of meetings involving opposition figures Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas. Gohar also referred to a letter sent by Achakzai to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concerning the Election Commission of Pakistan.

His comments followed a PTI mobilisation campaign in Sindh led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Afridi reached Karachi after touring several districts as the party prepared supporters for a planned nationwide mobilisation on September 27. Gohar said the response to Afridi's visit demonstrated continued public interest in PTI's political campaign despite restrictions and logistical difficulties encountered during the Sindh tour.

The growing debate over new provinces is expected to remain a major political issue as parties clarify their positions on administrative reform and provincial boundaries. No consensus has yet emerged over how many new units should be created, where their boundaries would lie or what political process should govern such changes. Further talks among the federal government, provincial leadership and opposition parties are likely to determine whether the discussion develops into a formal reform initiative or remains a contentious political proposal.