The National Party (NP) has called for public consent before any decision is taken to create new provinces in Pakistan. The party said such a major constitutional and administrative change should not be decided behind closed doors by political leaders or other influential groups.
Speaking to reporters in Quetta on Wednesday, NP central leader and former senator Mir Tahir Bizenjo said that only the people should have the authority to determine whether new provinces are needed. He cautioned that dividing existing provinces into numerous administrative units without public participation could create serious political and social consequences.
Mr Bizenjo said reports indicated that several major political parties and religious leaders had already been consulted regarding the proposal. However, he argued that the debate should focus on the actual problems facing the country rather than simply considering the population or geographical size of provinces.
According to the NP leader, issues such as poor governance, corruption, exploitation and extravagant administration were more important concerns. He suggested that creating smaller provinces would not automatically solve these problems unless there were meaningful improvements in governance and accountability.
Bizenjo also referred to the historical political structure of the region. He recalled that before British rule, different parts of present day Pakistan were governed by separate rulers. Sindh was ruled by the Talpurs, while parts of Balochistan were under the authority of the Khans. Punjab was governed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, whose influence also extended into large parts of present day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The NP leader further discussed the historical status of the Pashtun areas of Balochistan. He said these territories were separated from Afghanistan following the Treaty of Gandamak, which he described as having been imposed on Afghan rulers. These areas were later incorporated into British Balochistan along with territories belonging to the Kalat State.
The National Party’s position highlights the importance of public participation, good governance and historical context in any future debate over the creation of new provinces.
