Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has categorically ruled out the division of Sindh, saying the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has no objection to the creation of new provinces in other parts of the country if the people there want them, but that altering Sindh's boundaries is neither legally nor politically acceptable. He was speaking to reporters in Makli, Thatta, on Wednesday after attending the urs of Pir Syed Ghulam Jilani Shah Jilani.

Shah said the people of Sindh had repeatedly rejected the idea of dividing the province through their elected representatives. "Constitutionally, the boundaries of a province cannot be altered unless its people want such a change," he said, adding that the Punjab Assembly had already passed several resolutions calling for the creation of new provinces. "If Punjab wants to create new provinces, we have no objection," he remarked.

The constitutional argument

The chief minister said the Constitution provided a mechanism for holding a referendum, but such an exercise could only be conducted on an issue where there was ambiguity. He clarified that even after a referendum, the final decision would rest with the assemblies, as no referendum could override constitutional provisions. He reiterated that the division of Sindh was not possible under the existing constitutional framework or in view of the public opinion expressed by the people of the province.

His remarks come in a wider debate about reorganising Pakistan's provinces. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has backed the idea of creating new administrative units, saying that if there is a proposal for 12 provinces, then 12 provinces should be made, while warning against creating them on ethnic or political grounds. The Sindh Assembly, for its part, passed a resolution in September rejecting attempts to divide the province, and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for an end to the debate about creating new provinces.

Water dispute raised again

Speaking about the continuing water-sharing dispute, Shah said Sindh's demand for the distribution of water in accordance with the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord had already been taken up with the Council of Common Interests. He rejected allegations that the downstream province was responsible for water shortages, terming it unfair to blame Sindh when the province itself was facing a serious water shortage.

"How can Sindh be accused of stealing water when water does not reach the province in the first place?" he questioned. Shah said the provincial government was concerned about the persistent shortages and had raised the matter with the federal government, stressing that water distribution must be carried out in accordance with the 1991 accord.

A message from Makli

Shah further said Sindh would remain strong and secure as long as the PPP continued to stand alongside the people of the province. "No one can dare cast an evil eye on Sindh," he declared. Earlier, the chief minister visited Jilani House in Makli, accompanied by PPP MNA Sadiq Memon. Describing Sindh as the land of Sufis, he said the teachings of Sufi saints had played a significant role in promoting peace, tolerance, brotherhood and mutual respect in the province.

For now, the PPP's position is clear: new provinces elsewhere are a matter for the people and assemblies concerned, but Sindh's boundaries are not up for negotiation. Any formal proposal would still have to pass through the constitutional process Shah described, including the assent of the relevant provincial assembly.

Sources: The News, Skardu Times (reporting Dawn)