The government is considering holding a referendum to pave the way for the creation of new provinces, amid challenges in securing the required parliamentary support for a constitutional amendment.
According to sources, the government’s legal team, including officials from the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Attorney General’s office, is examining the constitutional and legal aspects of conducting a referendum on the issue.
Sources said the proposal is being considered after the government failed to secure an indication of the required political support for the proposed constitutional amendment to establish new provinces.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may seek Parliament’s authorisation to hold a referendum, while obtaining approval through a joint sitting of Parliament is also under consideration, according to sources.
The proposal to take the matter to Parliament for a referendum has also emerged amid the reluctance of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to support the proposed amendment, sources said.
According to sources, the PTI supports the creation of new provinces in principle but has not indicated its willingness to back the proposed constitutional amendment.
Meanwhile, the government is also considering approaching the court to seek clarity on the constitutional and legal status of holding a referendum on the matter.
Creating new provinces would require a constitutional amendment, which needs a two-thirds majority in Parliament. The government’s reported move towards a referendum reflects the difficulty of building that majority at present.
The question of new provinces has been debated in Pakistan for years, with supporters arguing that smaller administrative units would improve governance and bring government closer to the people, while critics raise concerns about the political and administrative implications.
No final decision has been announced on the referendum proposal. The legal examination now under way will determine whether the option is constitutionally workable and what process would be required to put it to a vote.
Under the Constitution, creating a new province requires a constitutional amendment, which must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate. A referendum would be an unusual route for such a change, which is why the government’s legal team is studying whether it can be used and what legal steps it would involve. No date has been announced for any referendum, and no question for voters has been made public so far.
