No New-Provinces Vote Without Parliament, Leaders Agree

Key takeaways: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have agreed that any referendum on creating new provinces must first win Parliament’s approval. The PPP remains opposed to dividing Sindh, and no vote can proceed without consensus.

Flat illustration of a stylised map of Pakistan made of interlocking puzzle pieces in front of a parliament building silhouette, in deep green, navy and gold tones — Illustration: WHAT TODAY?

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have agreed that any move to create new provinces must follow the Constitution, and that no referendum on the question can go ahead without Parliament’s approval. The understanding was reached at a meeting at the prime minister’s Model Town residence in Lahore on Saturday, official sources told Dawn.

The meeting came two days after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi floated a referendum to gauge public opinion on new provinces, saying it could settle the debate. Naqvi also assured political parties they would be consulted before any decision was finalised.

Zardari, accompanied by former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, said the PPP’s position remains aligned with the Sindh Assembly’s resolution opposing the division of Sindh. Both leaders agreed any move must strictly follow the Constitution, the sources said.

They also agreed Parliament could not be bypassed in deciding whether a referendum should be held, or what questions it should ask. “Without consensus, the matter cannot move an inch. Parliament cannot be bypassed,” an official source quoted the meeting as agreeing.

The route the government has prepared

PML-N sources quoted by The News said the government has prepared a procedure under Clause 6 of Article 48, which lets the prime minister seek Parliament’s permission for a referendum on a matter of national importance. Approval would come from a joint session of Parliament; if the government failed to win a majority there, it could ask the Federal Constitutional Court to rule on the referendum’s legal status.

The proposal on the table would create 12 provinces: Punjab divided into four, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan into three each, and Sindh into two. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has argued Pakistan could have as many as 12 provinces if the exercise followed administrative needs rather than linguistic, ethnic or political lines.

The PML-N has yet to set out a formal policy, saying it will present its position when the matter comes before Parliament. The PTI is debating the idea internally and has not yet backed a constitutional amendment. A resolution on new provinces is expected in the Balochistan Assembly in the coming weeks, ahead of Senate elections expected in early March 2027.

What is not yet confirmed

The Prime Minister’s Office statement said only that the two leaders discussed the political, economic and security situation and coordination among coalition partners. It did not mention new provinces or a referendum. A senator present told The Express Tribune that new provinces were not discussed at all, so the reported understanding rests on unnamed sources and is unconfirmed.

Why it matters

Creating a new province is one of the hardest changes in Pakistan’s constitutional system. Altering a province’s boundaries needs a two-thirds majority of the provincial assembly concerned, under Article 239(4), as well as the required parliamentary majorities. That is why the Sindh Assembly’s resolution matters to the PPP, and why who decides, Parliament or a public vote, is the central argument.

Supporters say smaller provinces would bring government closer to people. Opponents warn redrawing boundaries would reopen settled political questions and strain the federation. With Senate elections due in early March, the coming weeks will show whether the idea becomes a formal proposal or stalls for want of consensus.

What happens next

Watch for the Balochistan Assembly resolution, the PTI’s position, and a formal PML-N policy. None has happened yet, and no referendum has been called. For now, the message from Lahore is that no referendum, and no new province, can move forward without Parliament.

Frequently asked questions

What did Zardari and Shehbaz agree on new provinces?

According to official sources quoted by Dawn, the president and prime minister agreed on Saturday that any move to create new provinces must strictly follow the Constitution, and that any referendum on the issue would need Parliament’s approval first.

What is the proposed referendum procedure?

PML-N sources quoted by The News said the government has prepared a procedure under Clause 6 of Article 48 of the Constitution, with approval to be sought from a joint session of Parliament. If a majority is not secured there, the government could approach the Federal Constitutional Court.

How many provinces are being proposed?

The proposal on the table would create 12 provinces: Punjab divided into four, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan into three each, and Sindh into two.

Has a referendum been called?

No. No referendum has been called, and the official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office did not mention new provinces or a referendum. The reported understanding rests on unnamed sources.