Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said Thursday that Parliament would debate the creation of new provinces in October.
He said the National Assembly and Senate sessions scheduled for October would provide the forum for the discussion, while no sessions were planned for September.
“The proper forum for discussing new provinces is the Parliament,” he said. Chaudhry also clarified that Islamabad was not being considered for provincial status, but that a new governance model was under consideration for the federal capital.
The debate over administrative restructuring has intensified in recent months, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal calling for reforms and new administrative units.
Iqbal has proposed 12 to 15 provinces, while stressing the need for political consensus. The PPP has opposed moving forward, saying no concrete restructuring plan has been presented to the party.
The discussion broadly centres on either creating new provinces or devolving greater powers to districts and local governments.
