Bilawal calls for 'full stop' on conversations about new provinces

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urged an immediate end to discussions about forming new provinces during a media interview in Karachi. He spoke alongside Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at Spencer Eye Hospital. Bilawal reiterated his party's position in response to inquiries about the pressure they face regarding the 18th Amendment and the potential undoing of it.

He stated that the people of Sindh and their elected representatives had already made their decision, and it was now time to conclude the conversation. The Sindh Assembly had also repeatedly expressed its position on the matter. Bilawal emphasized that the people of the province and the city had the final say. When asked about ongoing talks regarding a 28th constitutional amendment, Bilawal simply stated that he had not been consulted.

The PPP chairman also addressed the dispute between the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and Pakistan Railways, urging the federal government to show more interest in Karachi, which he called the country's economic hub. The PPP's stance on this issue has been a point of contention, especially after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi proposed a dialogue among political parties to reform the governance system and the Sindh chief minister rejected the idea.

Despite the opposition, various political parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, have favored the idea of creating more provinces or administrative units for better governance. The PPP, along with the MQM-P, has consistently opposed any move to divide the province or create new administrative units. In September, the Sindh Assembly unanimously rejected attempts to divide Sindh or form new administrative units, reaffirming its commitment to geographical unity.