Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah firmly dismissed the proposal to create a new province within Sindh, emphasizing that any division of the province must follow constitutional procedures and secure approval from the Sindh Assembly.
His statement came shortly after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ignited a nationwide debate by declaring Pakistan’s current governance system as “collapsed” and advocating for the establishment of additional administrative units or provinces as part of comprehensive constitutional reforms.
At the Pakistan Economic Summit last week, Naqvi argued that the existing governance framework was inadequate to tackle the country’s challenges. He called on political parties to reach a consensus on structural reforms, warning that without fundamental changes, Pakistan would continue to face persistent issues.
Addressing reporters after speaking at the Mining Technical Conference 2026, Murad Ali Shah reiterated that the Sindh Assembly had consistently and unanimously rejected the creation of any new province within Sindh.
He clarified that, the Constitution, a province can only be divided if the relevant provincial assembly passes a resolution with a two-thirds majority in favor of such a move.
“Only when a provincial assembly approves the division with the required two-thirds majority can a province be redefined or split,” he stated.
Murad Ali Shah’s comments come amid intensified discussions on administrative restructuring following Naqvi’s call for new provinces or administrative units, a proposal that has met resistance in Sindh, where successive governments have opposed dividing the province.
When asked about public protests, the chief minister acknowledged that peaceful demonstrations are a democratic right but urged protesters to avoid disrupting public convenience.
“Citizens have the right to protest after obtaining government permission, but they must ensure that traffic flow remains smooth and the public is not inconvenienced,” he said.
Addressing concerns over rising flour prices, Murad Ali Shah assured that the provincial government had proactively arranged to procure one million tonnes of wheat. He also noted that authorities had recovered between 250,000 and 300,000 tonnes of wheat from hoarders and were implementing measures to prevent further price hikes.
Earlier at the conference, the chief minister highlighted the increasing contribution of Thar coal to Pakistan’s energy sector. He revealed that the use of locally mined coal was saving the country over $1.5 billion annually in import costs and announced plans to boost electricity generation from Thar coal to 3,000 megawatts.
He emphasized that developing indigenous energy resources is crucial for enhancing Pakistan’s energy security, reducing reliance on imported fuels, and supporting sustainable economic growth.
