ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced that the National Assembly and Senate will formally debate proposals for the creation of new provinces when parliament meets in October, bringing the increasingly prominent issue onto the legislative agenda.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said parliament was the appropriate forum for discussions that have already spread through political parties, the media, business organisations and other sections of society. Neither house is expected to hold a regular session during September.
The debate follows renewed proposals for restructuring Pakistan into a larger number of administrative units. Different political figures have recently floated varying models, including proposals for considerably more provinces, but the government has not endorsed a specific map or number.
Chaudhry also rejected speculation that Islamabad would be converted into a province, saying the federal capital would remain a federal territory. The government is instead examining a new governance model for Islamabad. Any creation or alteration of provinces would ultimately require constitutional amendments and the necessary parliamentary approval.