LAHORE: Chief Minister of Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif said that he was not opposing the creation of new provinces, but never said that Karachi be made ??separately a province either, he stated in response to a question by journalists on Monday, DawnNews reported.

The chief minister, after inaugurating a cricket ground in Lahore, told reporters that he was questioned whether new provinces of Bahawalpur and Seraiki should be made and in response to that, he had said that not only should these provinces be created, but if necessary other provinces should also be made and that he was not against establishing new provinces.

He said that he had just been speculating the possibility and not suggesting that Karachi should be made a separate province or that Karachi should be separated from Sindh.

Earlier, a number of political parties protested against his statement for calling Karachi a separate province.