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Parliament to Decide on New Provinces Even if Referendum Held: Rana SanaullahPakistan
Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah says parliament would have the final say on creating new provinces even if a referendum is held, and the issue has not yet come before the house.
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Speaking to a private television channel, Sanaullah said the question of who would hold such a referendum also remained unresolved, adding that the process would have to be conducted by parliament.
He said the issue had not yet been taken up by parliament. Once it was brought before the house, he said, a policy statement would be issued, followed by a debate on the matter.
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Sanaullah has made the same point in television appearances earlier in the week, telling Geo News that parliament was the appropriate forum to decide whether a referendum was necessary and what question would be put before voters. His remarks come after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called for a referendum on the creation of new provinces, a proposal linked in media reports to a possible 28th Constitutional Amendment.
Meetings with Imran Khan
Commenting on meetings with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, Sanaullah said both of the former prime minister’s lawyers had met him, but their conduct in the coming days would determine whether further meetings could take place.
He said the lawyers had spoken about political matters after their meeting, a development that could complicate arrangements for future meetings. The Islamabad High Court has directed Imran Khan’s lawyers to avoid political discussions after jail meetings, and the matter has been reported separately.
Sanaullah said the PTI had announced a long march and that efforts had been made to persuade the party, with assurances given on various matters. He added that restrictions on meetings with Imran Khan had been imposed because the party was using them for political purposes.
No constitutional amendment on new provinces has been tabled, and no referendum has been scheduled. The proposal remains at the discussion stage, with the government saying any decision would have to go through parliament.
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