The interior minister recently talked about how important it was to create new provinces to reset Pakistan.
This triggered a wave of backlash on social media. Different groups and individuals posted videos strongly opposing the move. The reactions were not limited to political slogans.
Some videos show people openly expressing anger, while others present detailed arguments against the plan and call it a disastrous move for Pakistan.
The strongest resistance has emerged from Sindh, where the proposal to create new administrative units has quickly become a politically sensitive issue. This analyst hasn’t seen much uproar from Punjab.
Several groups have taken to social media to argue that creating new provinces would not end poor governance, weak local administration and lack of public services. Instead, it could create new political and maybe ethnic disputes.
Lawyers, political activists, academics and civil society groups have publicly criticized attempts to redraw provincial boundaries. The Lahore High Court Bar Association has opposed the proposal. To top it all, the Sindh Assembly rejected attempts to divide Sindh. They debated for 3 days.
However, the debate is so far one-sided. The response from the public has yet to be recorded. Or even acknowledged.
The Punjab Bar Council has supported the creation of smaller provinces, while the Supreme Court Bar Association has also backed the idea.
The Pakistan Bar Council has called for the issue to be dealt with through the constitutional process and national consensus.
For now, the online reaction shows that the proposal has touched a nerve.
The government may have opened the debate on new provinces, but social media has made one thing clear: Most observers are not taking the idea quietly.
This development needs to take a better shape for everyone to understand the consequences. So far, this is just gossip.
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