Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said a referendum on creating new provinces will take place only after parliament approves it.
Speaking to journalists in Lahore on Saturday, Sanaullah said parliament remained the most appropriate forum to debate the creation of new provinces. Therefore, he stressed that all political parties should present their positions through parliamentary proceedings.
Parliament To Decide On New Provinces
Sanaullah’s comments followed similar remarks from Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. Chaudhry recently said parliament would begin debating the creation of new provinces in October.
However, Sanaullah clarified that the government had not yet placed the matter before the federal cabinet. He added that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was still consulting internally before finalising its position.
The adviser said the PML-N would announce its policy once parliament formally takes up the issue. He also maintained that parliament must ultimately decide whether the country should create additional provinces.
PML-N Yet To Finalise Its Position
According to Sanaullah, the issue could move forward more effectively once parliament begins formal discussions. He said the parliamentary forum would allow political parties to explain their positions and participate in the debate.
He further said parliamentary decisions would receive acceptance from all political parties. Consequently, he indicated that any future referendum would remain dependent on parliamentary approval.
The debate over new provinces has remained politically significant, particularly amid calls for administrative restructuring in different parts of the country. Nevertheless, the government has yet to present a formal proposal before the cabinet or parliament.
Sanaullah’s statement indicates that the government will first pursue parliamentary consultations before considering any public vote. Meanwhile, the expected October debate could provide political parties an opportunity to outline their positions on the proposal.
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