To the Editor,
I am writing to express my grave concern regarding recent federal proposals to carve new administrative provinces out of Sindh, particularly suggestions to segregate urban centers like Karachi. While proponents argue this will solve “collapsed governance,” partitioning a historically and geographically unified province will trigger severe national instability. Sindh is an indivisible entity, not a commodity to be arbitrarily divided.
Financially, splitting the province is an economic impossibility for a debt-ridden nation. Constructing new provincial assemblies, secretariats, high courts, and governor houses would cost billions, instantly sabotaging Pakistan’s fragile fiscal framework. Furthermore, altering boundaries will paralyze the National Finance Commission (NFC) award and ignite volatile, unresolvable inter-provincial disputes over water distribution and natural resources.
Most critically, this move directly violates the 1973 Constitution. Under Article 239, any structural change to a province’s geography requires a two-thirds majority approval from that specific provincial assembly. Forcing such a division against the democratic will of Sindh’s elected representatives undermines the very foundation of Pakistan’s federalism. Instead of uniting the country, it risks fueling dangerous ethnic and regional polarization.
Instead of pursuing divisive territorial restructuring, the federal government must focus on genuine devolution. True governance solutions lie in empowering the existing local government system and optimizing resource distribution under the 18th Amendment. Parliament must reject these destabilizing proposals and focus on economic recovery rather than redrawing maps.
Yours sincerely,
Muneer Ahmed
Khairpur Mirs