Pakistan's province row: PPP's London meet, Naqvi's referendum push and the Munir angle — what's happening?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistan's province row: PPP's London meet, Naqvi's referendum push and the Munir angle — what's happening?")
Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir
Pakistan's debate over new provinces has intensified after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused the PPP of double standards. Amid reports of talks involving Zardari, Mohsin Naqvi and Asim Munir, MQM founder Altaf Hussain warned the issue could trigger a major political and security crisis.
A debate has erupted in Pakistan over its move to dismantle the current four-province structure to create 12 to 15 smaller administrative units. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of maintaining a "double standard" and a "two-faced policy" regarding the creation of new administrative provinces. In a statement, Asif criticised the PPP for supporting the creation of a Saraiki province in Punjab while simultaneously invoking the controversial concept of "Sindhudesh" whenever broader national restructuring or multiple administrative units are proposed. Asif pointed out that the PPP shows a "soft corner" for dividing Punjab to form a Saraiki province. However, when proposals arise to expand Pakistan beyond its existing four provinces into multiple administrative units, the debate in Sindh shifts toward separatist "Sindhudesh" rhetoric to protect their political interests. Asif claimed there is "something else" hidden behind this dual policy which he intends to reveal at a later time.
Additionally, speaking at the National Policy Dialogue in Lahore, Pakistan Minister Mohsin Naqvi remarked that the current governance system has failed to deliver results over the past decades. He noted that if the public wants new administrative units or provinces, political parties should not block the move. He clarified that a system "reset" means fixing structural flaws rather than breaking the country or altering regional identities. He also suggested that Islamabad should be considered as a separate province to give its citizens benefits under the NFC Award.
‘Silent struggle’ between Pakistan's military establishment and President Asif Ali Zardari
On the other side, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain claimed that a "silent struggle" is underway between Pakistan's military establishment and President Asif Ali Zardari. In a video message, Hussain said that Pakistan was heading towards what he described as its "most dangerous phase" and alleged that the public was unaware of the risks. Hussain also referred to reports of a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Zardari in London. According to the reports cited by Hussain, Naqvi met the president for around an hour and held a one-on-one discussion with him. Hussain claimed that Zardari had reiterated the position that there could be no lasting solution to the question of new provinces without national consensus.
The London meeting
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Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari held an extensive 90-minute meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in London. Naqvi reportedly delivered a critical message from army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. The talks centered around national security, the country's political landscape, and heavily rumored plans regarding the devolution of power or creation of new provinces. IN London itself, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also arrived on September 4 to join his father. A high-level PPP delegation has also arrived to hold political discussions with the PML-N leadership. A meeting is scheduled between Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz and other PML-N leaders. The meeting is regarding the survival and strategy of the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government.
The creation of new pronvinces and Munir's reported plan
The push by the military establishment under Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir to create new provinces of 33–36 administrative units is mainly to establish his hegemony across Pakistan. Currently, the PPP holds an iron grip on Sindh, while the PML-N dominates Punjab. Splitting the four massive provinces into smaller administrative units would fundamentally disrupt the electoral arithmetic and help military to consolidate power by handling fractured groups.
