Says Islamabad will remain a ‘federal territory’, efforts will be made to improve its governance model
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry speaks to the media on Thursday. SCREENGRAB
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Thursday that the debate on forming new provinces would be held in the next session of the National Assembly and the Senate in October, adding that the parliament was the proper forum for such a discussion.
Speaking to the media, Chaudhry said that “if this debate about new provinces is happening in the streets and in every media house, and is being discussed by scholars and traders and chambers of commerce, then the proper forum for this discussion is the parliament, and a debate will be initiated in the next session of the National Assembly and the Senate in October. When these sessions are convened, discussion on establishing new provinces will take place.”
He also added that Islamabad was and would remain a “federal territory”, and efforts would be made to improve the governance model while retaining its status as a federal territory.
Chaudhry dispelled the impression that Islamabad was going to become the country’s fifth province, adding that he had categorically said before as well that “Islamabad cannot become a province and is not going to become one.”
Read: Consensus call grows over new provinces
He said that, as per the directions of the prime minister, a five-member committee comprising federal ministers was formed, which recommended that a legislative assembly be formed so that all administrative matters of Islamabad, including health and education, could work under the guidance of a chief executive, who would be the “mayor of the assembly”.
Chaudhry noted that this was a simple model that had been formulated after reviewing the global best practices in this regard.
“I am in contact with other political parties, and their feedback will be incorporated in the draft, and all stakeholders, including the public, will be included. After consultation, we will give it the shape of an Act, and the law ministry will guide us on whether we can pass this with a simple majority or a two-thirds majority in Parliament,” Chaudhry stated.
He underlined that Islamabad was the “collective area of the federation” where everyone had an equal share and represented the federation, adding that it was therefore not “technically possible to make Islamabad a separate province”.
Background of debate over new provinces
The current debate over new provinces began on July 30, when Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called for additional administrative units or provinces as part of a broader overhaul of the country’s governance system. Naqvi argued that meaningful structural reforms were needed to improve governance, deliver justice and create opportunities for young people.
Read More: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi calls for new administrative units citing existing governance failure
The proposal quickly became politically sensitive in Sindh, where the PPP strongly opposed any move to divide the province. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah rejected Naqvi’s assessment that the governance system had collapsed and called the proposal outdated, warning that no bloodshed would be allowed over the creation of new provinces.
The debate widened in August when Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) backed the creation of new provinces and called for a national dialogue with political parties. The party argued that Pakistan’s growing population, poor governance and concentration of political power made greater administrative devolution necessary. The move put the party, which is part of the federal coalition but sits in opposition in Sindh, at odds with the PPP’s position on the province.
The PPP, meanwhile, maintained that administrative reform and the division of Sindh were separate questions. Sindh minister Nasir Hussain Shah said the provincial government was willing to discuss measures to improve governance and devolve power, but rejected linking those reforms to the creation of a new province.
The dispute reached the Sindh Assembly at the beginning of September. On September 3, the house unanimously passed a resolution rejecting any proposal to divide Sindh or alter its territorial limits. The resolution described Sindh as a “historic, civilisational and constitutional entity” and declared that “Sindh is one and shall remain one”.
Naqvi, however, showed no sign of backing away. On September 5, he said he would continue to support new provinces regardless of whether he remained in office, arguing that the ultimate decision should belong to the people rather than politicians or governments. He said the public should first be told the “pros and cons” of creating new administrative units before being allowed to decide.
Also Read: Naqvi vows not to back down from demand for new provinces, says decision must reflect public will
That position has since raised another question over how public opinion could be formally established. A constitutional debate emerged over whether a referendum could be used to gauge support for new provinces. Article 48(6) allows a matter of national importance to be put to a referendum following approval by a joint sitting of Parliament, although a referendum itself would not create a new province; any change to provincial boundaries would still have to follow the constitutional process.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan warned on September 7 that dividing Sindh or any other province without the consent of its people and representatives would weaken the federation. He called for a commission and extensive deliberations before the issue was taken to parliament.
Also Read: PTI’s Barrister Gohar warns against dividing provinces without broad public consensus
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while accepting that Sindh had the right to take its own position, also said a final decision would have to emerge through consensus. Asif separately suggested that Islamabad could be used as a starting point for any future administrative restructuring, while Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah said the question of new provinces should be taken up at the relevant forums and resolved through consensus among political parties.
