Opposition parties have warned the government against dividing Pakistan’s provinces, with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman saying the country cannot afford further fragmentation at a time of deep political and economic strain.
A United Opposition Front
The warning came after a meeting of opposition parties at Parliament House, attended by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen head Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and interim PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. Speaking to the media afterward, Fazlur Rehman said the opposition parties had agreed to play a joint role in parliament, stressing that the current situation demanded political consensus, the release of political prisoners and an end to violence.
“It is not the time to divide the provinces,” he said, warning that such a move would only deepen mistrust among the federating units. “Provincial division will increase disturbance,” he added, arguing that the 18th Amendment had become a “thorn in the throat” of the establishment.
Security and Economic Concerns
Fazlur Rehman said the deteriorating law and order situation was severely affecting the national economy, and pointed to India’s rise as the world’s fourth-largest economy as a contrast to Pakistan’s current challenges. “On one side, our land is red with blood, while on the other, our rulers are walking on red carpets,” he said, describing the day as significant for opposition unity.
The JUI-F chief called for the release of political prisoners and the creation of a more positive political environment, saying all opposition parties agreed Pakistan could not sustain its present course. The meeting followed weeks of speculation over proposals to restructure provincial boundaries, including suggestions to bring Karachi and Gwadar under federal control and split Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into smaller units, proposals that have drawn criticism from opposition figures across the political spectrum.
What It Means
The joint statement adds to a broader opposition alliance that has been taking shape in recent weeks around shared concerns over security, the treatment of political prisoners and resistance to administrative restructuring. Whether the government responds to the renewed pressure, or presses ahead with its proposals, is likely to shape the political climate heading into the opposition’s planned September 27 protest.
