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NEW PROVINCES DECISION RESTS WITH PARLIAMENT, SAYS SANAULLAH
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Sunday, 13 September, 2026 | 30 Rabiul Awwal, 1448
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PML-N LEADER SAYS DISCUSSIONS ON MAJOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS SHOULD NOT BE CONFINED TO SPEECHES, SOCIAL MEDIA, BUSINESS FORUMS OR SEMINARS
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 169 | 8 Pages | Karachi Edition
SAYS PARLIAMENT ONLY FORUM WHERE ANY ISSUE WOULD BE DEBATED AND ITS OUTCOME DETERMINED
STRESSES EVEN A REFERENDUM TO ASCERTAIN g SAYS PML-N CURRENTLY DELIBERATING PUBLIC OPINION ON NEW PROVINCES ON THE ISSUE AND WOULD FORMULATE WOULD REQUIRE PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL ITS POLICY AFTER THE DEBATE
MQM-P renews push for new province in ‘Urban Sindh’ KARACHI STAFF REPORT
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LAHORE STAFF REPORT
DVISER to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday that any decision on the creation of new provinces would ultimately be taken by Parliament, urging political parties and provincial leaderships to debate the issue at the appropriate forum. Speaking at a press conference, the PML-N leader said discussions on major constitutional and administrative matters should not be confined to speeches, social media, business forums or seminars. “In my humble opinion, this debate should have been started in Parliament,”
he said, responding to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s recent remarks in favour of creating new administrative units. Mr Sanaullah said Parliament was the forum where the issue would be debated and its outcome determined. “In any circumstance, the decision of whether any province will be created or not will be made in Parliament, and by Parliament,” he reiterated. He noted that Mr Naqvi himself had linked the creation of new provinces to public demand. If the people wanted new provinces, “no one can stop it”, he said, adding that determining public opinion was ultimately a matter for Parliament. Mr Sanaullah said the PML-N was currently deliberating on the issue and would formulate its policy after the de-
CJP Afridi vows to shield judges from external pressure, ensure speedy justice ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi on Saturday said the entire judiciary stood united to ensure judges remained “free from external pressure” and procedures had been put in place to protect judicial officers from such pressure. “The Code of Conduct has been amended to free judges from external pressure as the entire judiciary stands with judges to ensure their independence and provide speedy justice to the public,” CJP Afridi said while addressing a national conference on judicial reforms and the provision of speedy justice to the public in Islamabad. He described district courts as the “backbone of the justice system” and called for stronger coordination between district courts and high courts. The Chief Justice said he was proud of the subordinate judiciary, noting that judicial officers were performing their responsibilities despite difficulties. He added that empowering subordinate court judges was a judicial objective aimed at securing public confidence. “Public trust is not inherited; it is earned through integrity,” CJP Afridi said. He said timely delivery of justice was essential and that the requirements of the judiciary would be met to establish a comprehensive justice system across the country. He also urged judicial officers to perform their duties honestly.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday renewed its push for new provinces, asserting that the case for a separate administrative unit in urban Sindh was stronger than anywhere else in the country and warning that a transparent census and corrected voter lists could force the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to confront the demand itself. Speaking at a seminar titled “National Dialogue”, organised by the MQM-P Graduate Forum Pakistan at a local hotel, party chairman and Federal Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the demand for new provinces dated back to the APMSO era, well before the formation of the MQM. “Pakistan is our motherland, while provinces are merely administrative units,” Siddiqui said, arguing that provinces should be divided on the basis of population to improve gover-
bate reached a stage where a concrete outcome could emerge. He also clarified that the matter had not yet been formally brought before the federal cabinet. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he said, would issue appropriate
nance and facilitate development. He maintained that although the existing provinces had been formed largely along linguistic lines, the MQM-P was seeking new provinces on administrative grounds. Of all demands for new provinces across the country, he said, the case of urban Sindh was “the strongest and most justified” because the region carried a major share of Pakistan’s economic burden while continuing to face deprivation. Siddiqui further claimed that if an honest and transparent census were conducted in Sindh and voter lists were properly corrected, the PPP itself would be compelled to demand the creation of a new province. Senior MQM-P leader Dr Farooq Sattar said the country’s four provinces were effectively controlled by a handful of families, while the status quo had survived despite the devolution of powers to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.
directions once the issue was taken up. Even a referendum to ascertain public opinion on the creation of new provinces would require parliamentary approval, he added.
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Pakistan condemns drone attack on Saudi oil pipeline ISLAMABAD
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, reaffirming its full support for the Kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. In a statement, the Foreign Office termed the attacks on the vital energy infrastructure “reprehensible” and said targeting civilian infrastructure was a flagrant violation of international law and Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty. The ministry warned that the attacks posed a serious threat to regional peace, security and stability, and reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with the Saudi leadership, government and people. “Pakistan has been and will continue to make earnest efforts for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region,” the Foreign Office said. Saudi Arabia halted operations of the East-West pipeline after several drones struck the facility on Thursday in the Riyadh and Madinah regions. The Saudi Energy Ministry said the shutdown was a
precautionary measure while emergency and technical teams assessed the pipeline’s safety. Saudi authorities said the drones were launched from Iraq, causing injuries and material damage. Also known as Petroline, the approximately 1,200-kilometre pipeline is operated by Saudi Aramco and runs from Abqaiq in the Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. The strategically important pipeline enables Saudi Arabia to transport crude from its major pro-
duction areas in the east to refineries, storage facilities and export terminals on the Red Sea, reducing reliance on routes through the Strait of Hormuz. The attack comes amid escalating regional tensions and repeated threats to Saudi energy and maritime infrastructure. Yemen’s Houthis have previously targeted Saudi energy interests and control areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key global shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
BRICS backs peaceful conflict resolution, rejects Gaza displacement NEW DELHI
AGENCIES
BRICS leaders on Saturday called for intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent and peacefully resolve conflicts while firmly opposing any forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. The call was part of the New Delhi Declaration, unanimously adopted on the opening day of the two-day BRICS summit in the Indian capital. Expressing deep concern over continued violence in Gaza despite the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, the leaders rejected policies aimed at forcibly removing Palestinians from the territory and warned against arrangements that could undermine their inalienable rights or legitimise or prolong occupation.
The declaration reaffirmed that a just and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could only be achieved through peaceful means and must guarantee the legitimate rights of Palestinians, including their right to self-determination and return. BRICS also rejected unilateral measures seeking to alter the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem, calling for respect for the sanctity of religious sites and the right of all people to access holy places and practise their faith without hindrance. The bloc condemned attacks on installations and personnel of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), stressing that such attacks constituted violations of international law. Against the backdrop of
growing global polarisation and mistrust, BRICS urged countries to address security challenges through political and diplomatic measures aimed at reducing tensions and preventing conflicts. The leaders stressed the need to tackle the root causes of conflicts and encouraged regional organisations to play a more active role in preventing and resolving crises. They also voiced concern over the rising risk of nuclear conflict and called for greater efforts on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. The declaration expressed serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities, stressing that nuclear safeguards, safety and security must be maintained even during armed conflicts.
The BRICS leaders also criticised the growing use of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, warning that such actions distort international trade and undermine World Trade Organisation rules. They expressed serious concern over trade-restrictive measures and condemned unilateral coercive measures, including economic and secondary sanctions, which they said were contrary to international law and could have far-reaching consequences for human rights, health, food security and development in targeted countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping called on BRICS to play a greater role in promoting peace in the Middle East, saying the ongoing conflict did not serve the common interests of the international community.
PPP-PML-N rift persists despite coalition talks LAHORE
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Differences between the leaders of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) persisted on Saturday as the coalition partners’ coordination committees met to address outstanding issues and repair their strained working relationship. The meeting, held after months of friction during the acrimonious election campaigns in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, reportedly witnessed heated exchanges, with both sides blaming each other for the growing trust deficit. The PPP delegation comprised former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Hassan Murtaza, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Ali Qasim Gilani. The PML-N was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Khawaja Saad Rafique. The PPP complained that it was paying a heavy political price for the federal government’s shortcomings, citing runaway inflation, rising petroleum prices, the continuing agricultural crisis, load-shedding and delays in local government elections. The PML-N, however, accused its coalition partner of behaving more like an opposition party and exploiting public grievances for political gains, despite the PPP being aware that the government had limited control over factors such as international oil prices and inflation. According to participants, the meeting witnessed heated debate at times, but tempers eventually cooled as both sides acknowledged that they had no alternative but to continue working together to safeguard the political system. The PML-N invited Punjab Inspector General of Police Rao Abdul Karim to brief the PPP on its concerns regarding police matters and assured the party of its share in development schemes.
No dialogue with terrorists, says Balochistan CM QUETTA
STAFF REPORT
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Saturday ruled out dialogue with those who had taken up arms against the state, saying the fight against terrorism would continue until the “last terrorist” was eliminated. Addressing the country’s media anchors, senior journalists and other representatives via video link from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Mr Bugti said there would be “no dialogue in any case” with elements involved in armed violence against the state. He said it was not possible to control the entire province while sitting in Quetta and stressed that the war against terrorism would continue until the last terrorist was eliminated. The chief minister said the civil and military leadership was united in its resolve to combat terrorism, adding that there was “no ambiguity or confusion” on the issue. He acknowledged the difficult circumstances in which security forces were performing their duties in Balochistan and said state institutions were working in complete coordination to counter the terrorist threat. Before his interaction with journalists, Mr Bugti received detailed briefings on the provincial government’s strategy for social and economic development, governance, service delivery and the effective utilisation of development funds. Officials also briefed him on efforts to ensure that development projects delivered tangible benefits to the people. A separate briefing on the minerals and mining sector covered its potential, ongoing projects and measures aimed at developing the sector and making better use of Balochistan’s mineral resources. The Ministry of Interior and Tribal Affairs briefed the chief minister on the law and order situation, the Provincial Action Plan, police reforms and progress on integrating the Levies Force into the police.