New provinces possible with two-thirds majority, says Tarar

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has said Pakistan can create new provinces if Parliament and the relevant provincial assemblies agree to the move.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has said Pakistan can create new provinces if Parliament and the relevant provincial assemblies agree to the move.

Speaking to the media in London, Tarar said the Constitution provides a legal procedure for creating new provinces. He said the process would require the support of a two-thirds majority.

Tarar said the issue of new provinces could move forward whenever the provincial assemblies and Parliament decided to take it up. He added that the decision would have to be made through the constitutional process.

His remarks come amid renewed political discussion about the creation of additional provinces in Pakistan. Supporters of the idea have argued that new administrative units could improve governance and bring government services closer to the people.

The law minister also spoke about the recent elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He said the main challenge had been to ensure that elections were held in the region.

According to Tarar, the elections were conducted peacefully and transparently. He said the successful completion of the electoral process was an important development for the region.

The federal minister also addressed the issue of political dialogue. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had invited the opposition to negotiations several times.

Tarar said dialogue remained important for resolving political differences and addressing issues through democratic and constitutional means.

Speaking about the formation of the government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Tarar said PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had the right to decide on the choice of the AJK prime minister.

He said political decisions regarding the leadership of the region were part of the broader political process.