ISLAMABAD: Influential groups are reportedly backing the idea of restructuring Pakistan’s current administrative framework by establishing additional provinces or administrative units. However, this topic has not yet been formally presented or discussed in the federal cabinet.
In recent weeks, discussions around forming new federating units have intensified, though no official proposal has been submitted for cabinet approval. This development follows growing calls from senior federal ministers urging a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s administrative system.
Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal recently advocated for the creation of 12 to 15 new provinces, asserting that the existing four provinces are overly centralized and inadequate for managing a population nearing 260 million. He suggested that each existing province could potentially be divided into three smaller ones. Iqbal emphasized that such restructuring would require broad political consensus and recommended that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appoint a committee, led by the law minister, to examine administrative reforms and initiate a national political dialogue on the matter.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who initially reignited the debate by calling for a review of Pakistan’s governance structure, continues to support the formation of new administrative units or provinces. Naqvi argues that the current system requires significant reform to enhance service delivery, accountability, and access to justice. His stance has found backing from influential sectors, including statements from the military’s media wing, which has called for an “administrative reset” to address the country’s growing population and evolving needs.
Nonetheless, the proposal faces political opposition, particularly from Sindh. The Sindh Assembly has firmly rejected the creation of new provinces or administrative units within the province, with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders strongly opposing any division of Sindh’s territory.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has also entered the discussion, criticizing the incomplete implementation of the 18th Amendment’s devolution provisions. He proposed that the existing 36 divisions in Pakistan could serve as a foundation for a new administrative structure, though he acknowledged that the final design and terminology would require consultation.
Sources close to the matter caution that the increasing public discourse by senior ministers should not be interpreted as a sign that a final government decision has been reached. The debate is currently focused on building political and institutional consensus rather than finalizing the number or boundaries of new provinces.
Various informal options are being explored, including the creation of additional provinces or the empowerment of district-level governments without altering the constitutional status of the current provinces. Iqbal has also proposed an alternative model involving around 160 empowered district governments instead of numerous new provinces, arguing that governance should be brought closer to the citizens.
The issue remains sensitive due to the constitutional amendments and political agreements required, involving provincial assemblies and the national parliament. As such, the discussion is politically significant but still at an early institutional stage.
While senior ministers publicly advocate for administrative restructuring, no formal cabinet decision to create new provinces or administrative units has been made. Any formal proposal would necessitate consultations among coalition partners and other political stakeholders before being presented to the cabinet and parliament.
