Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has dismissed the Sindh Assembly’s recent resolution against the creation of new provinces, insisting that provincial opposition carries no legal weight in the federal legislative process.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Asif framed the debate over administrative units as a matter of constitutional mandate rather than local consensus. He argued that if the federal government secures a two-thirds majority in Parliament, the barriers erected by provincial legislatures would effectively crumble.
The statement follows a heated session in the Sindh Assembly, where lawmakers unanimously rejected any move to bifurcate the province. The resolution, backed by both the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and opposition factions, labeled the demand for new provinces—specifically within Sindh—as a threat to the province’s historical and cultural integrity.
Asif remains unmoved by the political show of force in Karachi. He signaled that the federal government views the creation of new administrative units as a tool for improved governance and service delivery, rather than a political gambit.
“The constitution provides a clear mechanism for the creation of new provinces,” Asif said, sidestepping questions about the potential for civil unrest. “When the legislature decides to act, the concerns of individual provincial assemblies are secondary to the national interest.”
Legal experts, however, point to the constitutional hurdles that could stall such an endeavor. Under Article 239 of the Constitution, a bill to alter the boundaries of a province must be passed by the provincial assembly of that specific province with a two-thirds majority before it reaches the federal parliament. By preemptively passing a resolution against bifurcation, the Sindh Assembly is attempting to close that legal door before the federal government even knocks.
For the PPP, which governs Sindh, the issue is existential. The party has long maintained that the demand for new provinces is a “divide and rule” tactic designed to undermine their electoral stronghold.
Asif’s comments suggest that the federal government is preparing for a protracted constitutional showdown. Whether the coalition in Islamabad has the political capital to force the issue—or if they are simply testing the waters to shift the narrative—remains the central question.
The defense minister offered no timeline for legislation, but his tone suggests that the federal government has no intention of letting the Sindh Assembly’s resolution serve as the final word.
