Government plans to carve out 7 to 27 new provinces, facing constitutional and political hurdles.

The Pakistani government has announced a project to create new provinces, with estimates ranging from seven to twenty‑seven. The plan follows discussions at Parliament House, where the Minister of State for Law and Justice confirmed the government’s intention and stated that all political parties would be consulted. The creation of new provinces requires approval from provincial assemblies and a two‑thirds majority in parliament for any Constitutional amendment. The government is therefore expected to hold extensive consultations and obtain consensus from the main political parties. Political parties have urged the government to follow the Constitution’s procedure for creating administrative units. They warn that bypassing the process could trigger a severe backlash. The Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians and the Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf have both expressed conditions for support and emphasised the need for parliamentary approval before any referendum or amendment. Legal and political experts suggest that creating a high‑powered State Reorganisation Commission could provide a comprehensive study of the issue. They argue that the commission could determine the need for new provinces and recommend a process for their creation based on economic, political and social criteria. The debate remains unresolved. Further steps will include a cabinet discussion, consultation with all political parties, and possibly a parliamentary vote on constitutional amendments before any new provinces are formally established.