Parliament’s nod deemed a must for referendum

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met on Saturday to reaffirm their commitment to adhering strictly to constitutional provisions when considering the creation of new provinces or administrative units. Any proposed referendum on the matter would also require parliamentary approval. This understanding was reached amid a debate over potential new provinces and a proposal by the interior minister to gauge public opinion through a referendum.

President Zardari, accompanied by former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, emphasized that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) remains opposed to the creation of new provinces, echoing the Sindh Assembly's resolution on the issue. The meeting also saw the participation of Prime Minister Shehbaz's political advisers, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, and the prime minister's sons Hamza and Suleman.

The leaders stressed that the parliament would decide whether a referendum would be held and what questions would be asked, and without consensus, the matter could not move forward. The discussion followed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's suggestion for a referendum on the creation of new provinces, a move the PPP has staunchly opposed, especially concerning Sindh.

The PPP leadership, including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, maintains that the division of Sindh is neither legally nor politically acceptable. The PML-N, meanwhile, has not articulated a formal position on the matter but indicated it would present its viewpoint when the issue reached parliament.

During the meeting, President Zardari and PM Shehbaz also discussed a message reportedly conveyed by Naqvi during his visit to Nawabshah, which included updates on Interior Minister Naqvi's recent interactions with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan. The leaders held detailed discussions on the country's political, economic, and security situation, with a focus on coordination among ruling coalition partners.

Prime Minister Shehbaz briefed President Zardari on his recent visit to Turkey, where he attended the COP31 conference and highlighted Pakistan's efforts in climate action. The two leaders affirmed their commitment to continued cooperation and progress on public welfare initiatives.