PTI's Barrister Gohar warns against dividing provinces without broad public consensus

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan cautioned on Monday that attempting to divide Sindh and other provinces without the approval of the people would weaken the federation. Addressing reporters outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Islamabad, Gohar urged political forces to refrain from hasty decisions on creating new provinces.

He cautioned against introducing divisive legislation, emphasizing that dividing Sindh without its people's and representatives' consent would weaken the federation. Gohar stressed the need for careful deliberation and consensus before carving out administrative units from Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). He urged the formation of a commission to debate the issue and for the new parliament to address it.

Gohar called for a consultative process akin to the one used in the 18th Amendment and criticized rushed actions, warning that they would undermine national unity. Regarding Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s recent remarks on terrorism, Gohar condemned her statement, asserting that India and RAW were found guilty of terrorism in Pakistan.

He accused Maryam of prejudicing the issue and called for an apology. Gohar lamented that Maryam’s statement lacked factual basis and suggested filing a first information report against her if anyone else made such a claim. He urged political leaders to address terrorism with seriousness and cautioned against point-scoring on a critical issue.

Gohar noted that previous negotiations between the government and PTI had merely been offers and now required concrete progress, warning against unilateral decisions that could lead to widespread discontent. He also expressed gratitude to the people of Sindh for warmly welcoming the K-P chief minister during his visit to Karachi, highlighting the populace's reluctance to accept the current status quo.