The New Provinces Movements in Pakistan: Constitutional Demands, Political Challenges and Federation Implication

Abstract

The demands for the creation of new provinces have been a common phenomenon in Pakistan’s federal politics since the One Unit system was dismantled in 1970. Despite the massive political mobilization and parliamentary debates on the formation of the provinces of South Punjab (Saraiki), Bahawalpur, Hazara, and Mohajir, none of them have been realized. The present study aims to identify the constitutional and political factors that have hindered the formation of new provinces. It analyzes why they gained public support and became a popular issue but failed to be turned into a constitutional reality. The research method used is qualitative, and it incorporates scholarly works on federalism, such as Riker’s federal bargaining model, Elazar’s federal principle, Watts’s comparative federalism, Adeney’s ethnic federalism, and others. It also uses the Constitution of Pakistan, Article 239, and parliamentary debates and decisions on the relevant bills. The study concludes that the institutional and constitutional factors that obstruct the formation of new provinces are of primary importance, and the issue of Pakistan’s federalism cannot be resolved without a majority’s support. Besides, the comparative analysis of India’s state formation process helps identify the key factors that must be considered when new provinces are contemplated. Therefore, the research findings suggest that the popular support of the provincial division is not enough, and political and institutional factors play a crucial role in its realization.

Keywords: New Provinces, Pakistan; Federalism, Article 239, Saraiki Province, Bahawalpur, Hazara Province, Ethnic Federalism, Constitutional Reform

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21840587