- Khawaja Asif expects some shape of a new system before 2026 ends, with about six weeks left in the year.
- He says leaders of all four provinces should be taken on board, whether or not their parties sit in parliament.
- Mustafa Kamal and Mohsin Naqvi have both backed a referendum on creating new provinces.
- No final decision has been taken on boundaries, administrative structures or the constitutional process.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has hinted at major political developments by the New Year. He says significant progress has been made on the provincial issue and expects a political consensus to emerge in the coming weeks.
Speaking on a television programme on Sunday, Asif described the discussions of recent weeks as positive. "I believe that some solution will emerge," he said.
A new system before year-end
Asked whether the changes could arrive within 2026, Asif said some shape of the new system would emerge before the year ended. He noted that around six weeks of the year remained.
He added that the leadership of all four provinces should be brought on board to build a consensus. This, he said, should apply regardless of whether their parties are currently represented in parliament.
My personal view is that the New Year will see this new system as well, God willing,
Khawaja Asif, Defence Minister
A window for Imran Khan
The defence minister also suggested that the expected developments could create an opening for incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan. If Khan agrees to the arrangement, or if an understanding is reached, it would offer a chance to return to mainstream politics once the current phase is over.
Asif compared this opportunity to the one the PML-N received during the extension of former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Referendum talk gathers pace
The remarks come amid renewed debate on creating new provinces. Several government figures have publicly backed either a referendum or a political consensus.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal of the MQM-P said a referendum would be held on the creation of new provinces and called December a crucial month. Speaking at an event in Karachi, he said Pakistan stood at a decisive historical juncture. He alleged that opponents of new provinces wanted to set linguistic communities against one another.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has described a referendum as the "best solution", saying public opinion should decide the matter. He stressed that all political parties, including the PPP and the PML-N, should be taken on board. Asif has himself previously backed new provinces on administrative grounds, saying even 12 could be considered.
| Current province | Proposed number of provinces |
|---|---|
| Punjab | 4 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 3 |
| Balochistan | 3 |
| Sindh | 2 |
The reported 12-province proposal
According to reports, a proposal to reorganise the country into 12 provinces is under consideration. Under the reported arrangement, Punjab could be divided into four provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan could each have three, and Sindh two.
However, no final decision has been taken on the proposed boundaries, administrative structures or the constitutional process. The proposal therefore remains under consideration.
Asif expects political consensus in the coming weeks and some shape of the new system before the year ends. Mustafa Kamal has described December as a crucial month, though no final decision has been taken on boundaries or the constitutional process.
Questions and answers
What did Khawaja Asif say about the provincial issue?
He said significant progress had been made and that political consensus was expected in the coming weeks. He expects some shape of a new system to emerge before the end of 2026.
Is a referendum on new provinces planned?
Mustafa Kamal said a referendum would be held, and Mohsin Naqvi called it the "best solution". No final decision on the process has been taken.
How many provinces are reportedly being considered?
According to reports, a 12-province plan is under consideration. It could split Punjab into four, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan into three each, and Sindh into two.
Image: Usman.pg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
