Naqvi Proposes Referendum on New Provinces
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has proposed a referendum on new provinces, saying the public should settle the debate on new administrative units. He called the public vote the “solution” to a dispute that has run for months.
Naqvi spoke to reporters at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Lahore on Thursday,. He said every political party had the right to disagree, but all parties claimed to stand for democracy and the supremacy of the people.
“My only request to all political parties is that this is such an issue [so] they should hold a referendum,” he said.
“Whatever the public’s opinion in the referendum is; if the public says [new units] should not be created, I am 100 per cent with them that they should not be created. [But], if the public says they should be made, then they should.”
Referendum on new provinces: Naqvi seeks public verdict
Naqvi said political parties held different views on the issue. The PPP had its own stance, he said, while some parties had their own stance without saying anything officially.
He stressed that nothing would be done against the will of the ruling coalition’s allies. “Everyone is a part of this government, and nothing will happen against their will. And if something does happen, then it will be after taking everyone’s consensus,” he said.
“My only recommendation is that if we were to conclude this debate, then we should just take the people’s opinion,” he added.
Naqvi first called for new administrative units in July, while speaking at the Pakistan Economic Summit 2026. He said at the time that the current system of governance had collapsed and needed a reset. In September he affirmed that any new units would only be formed with the public’s consent, while doubling down on his call for more provinces.
Bilawal and the ‘political reset’
Naqvi also said he and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari were “nearly on the same page” after Bilawal called for a “political reset” on Tuesday. Bilawal had urged all political parties to unite for the sake of the country rather than indulge in unnecessary debates.
“He (Bilawal) said that political matters are about to be reset, while my suggestion is that overall matters are about to be reset,” Naqvi said.
Bilawal’s call for unity followed weeks of harsh exchanges between federal ministers and veteran politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has now decided to strengthen his ties with the opposition. The PPP chairman also questioned the need for “new experiments” when the country faced much bigger challenges, particularly the economic crisis arising from Middle East tensions.
The PPP’s Punjab chapter strongly rejected any move to create new provinces on the same day, saying it would neither address soaring inflation nor rampant unemployment. The PPP, which rules Sindh and is an ally of the PML-N government at the Centre, has strongly opposed the creation of a new province within Sindh. It has maintained that any decision must be taken through constitutional and parliamentary processes with political consensus.
In September, Bilawal had called for a parliamentary debate on the creation of new provinces. “So instead of [speaking at] business forums, Mohsin Naqvi should visit [Parliament],” he had said.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s recent statement about the creation of 12 more provinces has also added to the debate that Naqvi started.
‘Corruption exists across entire Pakistan’
Naqvi was also asked about federal minister Chaudhry Salik’s recent remarks alleging corruption in Punjab. “If someone is saying that no corruption is taking place in Pakistan, then apologies but corruption exists across the entire country and it is our responsibility to end it,” he said.
Salik, of the PML-Q, had criticised the Punjab government led by the PML-N, saying he regularly heard complaints of corruption. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sent him a Rs5 billion defamation notice for levelling the allegations against her government and demanded that he retract his remarks.
Naqvi was also asked about a Capital Development Authority (CDA) notice issued in relation to the residence of JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman. He defended it, saying: “This (CDA) campaign has been ongoing for months, and it is not against a certain individual.”
A referendum would not by itself create a new province. Under the Constitution, a new province needs a constitutional amendment passed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament, along with the consent of the provincial assembly concerned. That is why the PPP insists on a parliamentary process, and why Naqvi’s proposal shifts the argument from the assembly floor to the public. Any new province would need its own administration, budget and assembly, and the tax authority’s missed collection target shows the fiscal pressure.
Frequently asked questions
What did Mohsin Naqvi propose?
Naqvi proposed that political parties hold a referendum to gauge public opinion on the creation of new administrative units or provinces. He said the public’s verdict should settle the debate.
Where did Naqvi make the proposal?
He spoke to reporters at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Lahore on Thursday, November 12.
What is the PPP’s position on new provinces?
The PPP has strongly opposed the creation of a new province within Sindh and says any decision must go through constitutional and parliamentary processes with political consensus. Its Punjab chapter rejected the move, saying it would not fix inflation or unemployment.
Can a referendum alone create a new province?
No. A new province needs a constitutional amendment passed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament, along with the consent of the provincial assembly concerned.
What else did Naqvi say at the press conference?
He said corruption exists across the entire country and it is the government’s responsibility to end it. He also defended a CDA notice about JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman’s residence, saying the campaign has run for months and targets no individual.
