Express Tribune Editorials 2nd September 2026

Formidable opposition

The debate over creating new provinces has now hit a formidable political roadblock in Sindh. The Sindh Assembly's unusually emphatic response to calls for dividing the province has demonstrated just how difficult any attempt to redraw the country's provincial map will be.

The province has repeatedly demonstrated a strong political consensus on preserving its territorial integrity, making any attempt to alter its structure far more complicated than a question of administrative efficiency alone.

The debate was formally opened in the Sindh Assembly on Monday when PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro moved an adjournment motion over renewed calls for new provinces and administrative units.

Opposition to dividing Sindh is strong, and the province's political spectrum is well known for its unity on matters concerning Sindh. The question now is how any such proposal can proceed, and what this means for similar reforms in the future, particularly in light of what has just transpired in the Sindh Assembly.

There are arguments on both sides, and both deserve to be considered seriously. It is too early to elucidate the merits and demerits but whatever the next steps are, the matter must be thoroughly debated and investigated at all levels, not just in the provincial assembly but also in other political and social forums.

Such an important issue calls for an inclusive decision-making process. The debate cannot be restricted to politicians. Educationists, researchers and policy experts must also be made part of the discussion so that the implications of any proposed change can be properly examined.

This, however, presents a huge barrier to moving things forward. Sindh has demonstrated vehement opposition to issues that it believes threaten its interests before, most notably the Kalabagh dam.

That history should not be taken lightly. Any attempt to pursue major changes to Sindh's territorial or administrative structure will have to reckon with this political reality.

The Bishkek moment

As Pakistan assumes the chairmanship of the SCO's Council of Heads of State for 2026-27, it has spelt out a viable agenda of cooperation across all apolitical realms of development. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed a plan to prioritise IT, AI, energy development, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports as avenues to pool synergies for a better tomorrow for the region's three billion people. If this prospective bloc of geo-economics in Central and Southwest Asia walks the talk, it could go a long way in harnessing a framework of understanding to better address bilateral and regional irritants. Thus, Islamabad demonstrated an awareness of ground realities as it raised the issues of terrorism and the weaponisation of water resources, cautioning that such friction only leads to further instability, chaos and degeneration.

The summit in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek saw heads of state and government rub shoulders as they marshalled for an aligned geopolitical entity free from bilateral encumbrances. In order to realise that dream, major stakeholders such as Russia, China and Iran must prevail upon India to mend its fences with Pakistan and work on a collective regional theme for the sake of tranquillity. Precedents for collaborating on such broad-based issues were set last year at the Tianjin summit in China, where Pakistan and India signed a joint communique to "look at terrorism from the same prism". This needs to be replicated by joining hands on the lawful sharing of Indus waters this year. A huddle between the heads of government of Pakistan and India is the way forward and will cement the credibility of forums like the SCO.

The 10-member SCO, along with observers and dialogue partners, must seize the opportunity to unite for peace. At a time when the Middle East is in turmoil and global supply lines are choked due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a semblance of diplomacy focused proactively on geo-economics is highly desirable. Pakistan has eloquently hinted at cooperating for the collective good by citing its past mediation role between the US and Iran, an abstract concept that must now be pushed into reality.

Scammers all around

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency's latest raid on a Karachi call centre - where eight suspects were arrested for impersonating US bank representatives and stealing Social Security numbers and credit card information - is being portrayed as a policing success worthy of celebration. But in reality, it is yet another indictment of Pakistan's abject failure to curb a multibillion-rupee fraud industry that has made a mockery of the country's regulatory apparatus.

This is not an isolated incident. Between January 2024 and June 2025, authorities conducted 63 raids on illegal call centres nationwide. This may seem like a reasonable figure, until we learn that an estimated 300 call centres are currently operating, and none of them are particularly clandestine. The Pakistan Software Export Board says there are over 7,400 registered call centres, yet it provides little more than "business categorisation" without meaningful operational monitoring. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority washes its hands entirely, claiming such centres fall outside its jurisdiction. Regulatory buck-passing has become a national sport.

Worse still, the officials appointed to police this digital underworld are often the ones protecting it. In recent years, proceedings have exposed NCCIA officers running an extortion racket that collected close to Rs300 million from illegal call centres in exchange for monthly "protection fees". One group alone amassed approximately Rs250 million. Senior and mid-level NCCIA officials stand accused of enabling these operations while foreign nationals acted as on-ground managers. The government's latest "nationwide crackdown" and special task force should thus be considered with caution. Arresting some small fry may generate headlines for a day or two, but unless the ringleaders and their guardians face serious consequences, we will continue on a dangerous path to becoming a hub for financial fraud.