Big Fight Over New Provinces in Pakistan

What Zardari and PPP Say

President Asif Ali Zardari and his party PPP do not want new provinces that divide Sindh. Sindh is their strong area. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met his father Zardari in London for many hours. They agreed to keep the same strong position. The Sindh Assembly passed a resolution. It says no one can divide Sindh or change its borders. PPP leaders say Sindh is their “motherland”. They will fight any plan that cuts it. They say any change must follow the Constitution fully. Some people say Zardari faces pressure but he refuses to accept division of Sindh.

What Nawaz Sharif and PML-N Think Now

PML-N is the main ruling party. Some ministers like Ahsan Iqbal talk about new provinces. But top leaders are careful. Adviser Rana Sanaullah said the debate is too early. There is no official plan yet. Many say Nawaz Sharif and his family do not want to divide Punjab now. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is against cutting Punjab into pieces. Some reports say Shehbaz Sharif is quiet on the issue. PML-N worries about losing power in big Punjab. So the party is not fully supporting the idea right now.

Establishment and Political War

The military establishment supports open debate on better administration. Some people say they push for change to improve control and security. But political parties are fighting each other. PPP and PML-N are coalition partners, but they clash hard on this topic. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticised PPP for double standards. He said PPP likes South Punjab province but rejects any change in Sindh. The fight is growing. Parties accuse each other. The government looks divided. Many call it a political war between parties and also with the establishment.

Imran Khan and PTI Position

Imran Khan’s party PTI supports new provinces, especially South Punjab. When PTI was in power earlier, they started work on a South Punjab secretariat. PTI leaders say the current government stopped that plan. They say new provinces are needed but only with real public support and a fair government. Imran Khan is still in jail and faces many legal cases. PTI says the debate is also used against them. They demand free politics and release of their leaders first. PTI says they will win even if there are many provinces.

Other Important Points

People in south Punjab want their own province because they feel ignored by Lahore. Hazara area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also wants a separate province. Some want Karachi as a special unit. But making new provinces needs big changes in the Constitution. It needs two-thirds votes in assemblies. This is very hard without full agreement.

New provinces may cost a lot of money for new offices and staff. Some experts say stronger local governments are better than new provinces. The debate is old but very hot again in September 2026. No final decision is made yet. All sides are in a big political battle. People wait to see who wins this fight and if real change comes for better governance.