Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon responds to Khawaja Asif’s remarks on new provinces, citing resolutions passed by the Punjab and Sindh assemblies.
Web Desk: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has criticised Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s recent remarks on the creation of new provinces and administrative units, urging the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) not to make Sindh a “sacrificial lamb” to please its political allies.
Memon said the PML-N should focus on accommodating its coalition partners but avoid making Sindh the target of a political dispute over the restructuring of administrative units.
Sharjeel Memon responds to Khawaja Asif
Responding to Khawaja Asif, Memon pointed to resolutions previously passed by the Punjab and Sindh assemblies on the issue of new provinces.
He said the Punjab Assembly had passed resolutions twice in favour of a separate Saraiki province, while the Sindh Assembly had passed eight resolutions opposing the creation of additional provinces within Sindh.
Memon argued that the positions taken by the two provincial assemblies demonstrated the difference between the political debate surrounding administrative restructuring in Punjab and Sindh.
He reiterated that the PML-N could work to satisfy its coalition partners but should avoid using Sindh as a “sacrificial lamb.”
What Khawaja Asif said
Khawaja Asif had criticised what he described as the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) differing positions on the issue of new administrative units.
According to Asif, the PPP supports the creation of a Saraiki province when the issue concerns Punjab. However, he alleged that discussions about administrative units elsewhere lead the party to raise the issue of “Sindhudesh.”
Asif described the PPP’s position as a “dual policy” and said its position would be explained when the time was appropriate.
These remarks were made by Asif as part of the ongoing political debate over the creation of new provinces and administrative units in Pakistan.
Debate over new provinces continues
The issue of creating new provinces has periodically resurfaced in Pakistan’s political debate, particularly around demands for a Saraiki or South Punjab province and proposals for additional administrative units in other parts of the country.
The issue remains politically sensitive because any change to provincial boundaries involves constitutional and political requirements.
The debate has also highlighted differences between political parties and provincial assemblies over whether administrative reforms should involve the creation of new provinces or greater devolution of powers to existing local governments.
For now, there is no confirmed agreement among the major political parties on a comprehensive plan to create new provinces.
The exchange between Memon and Asif reflects the latest escalation in the political debate, with the PPP defending its position on Sindh and the PML-N facing questions over its approach to demands for new administrative units.
