New Provinces: A Need for Pakistan

By Ijaz.ul.hassan  Burie chief 

When Pakistan came into existence, its population was much smaller than it is today. Resources were certainly limited, but the size of the population, cities, districts, and administrative needs was also relatively small. Over time, Pakistan’s population increased several times, major cities expanded into vast urban centers, and new districts and tehsils were created. However, the basic structure of provincial administration has remained largely the same.

Today, Pakistan’s population has exceeded 240 million. According to the 2023 Census, Punjab has a population of approximately 127.7 million, Sindh around 55.7 million, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa approximately 40.9 million, and Balochistan around 14.9 million.

These figures are not merely numbers recorded in a census report. They send a clear message about the need to rethink Pakistan’s administrative structure for the future. The question is whether the existing administrative system is sufficient to meet the needs of such a large population. Can a country in which one province has a population of more than 120 million provide effective, timely, and quality administrative services in the same way it did several decades ago? Does the passage of time not demand that the provincial system be reorganized according to population, geography, economic conditions, and administrative requirements?

In my view, Pakistan needs new provinces. However, this need should not be addressed on the basis of linguistic, ethnic, or regional prejudice. Instead, the creation of new provinces should be based purely on administrative efficiency, economic development, and public interest.

Punjab is Pakistan’s largest province. If Punjab were an independent country, its population would place it among the largest countries in the world. According to the 2023 Census, Punjab accounts for approximately 52.9 percent of Pakistan’s total population. Its population has exceeded 127.6 million. In comparison, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has around 40.9 million people, while Sindh has approximately 55.7 million.

Managing such a large population from a single provincial capital is not an easy task. Lahore is undoubtedly a major administrative, industrial, commercial, and educational center, but the problems of South Punjab, Central Punjab, Potohar, and other distant regions are different in nature.

If a citizen of South Punjab has to constantly look toward the provincial capital for matters related to healthcare, education, employment, land, irrigation, industry, or other government services, then there is clearly a problem of administrative distance. A similar situation can be observed in Sindh, where Karachi and rural Sindh have very different challenges, priorities, and administrative requirements.

This argument is not intended to blame any particular city or region. The real issue is the system. When the population becomes extremely large while decision-making remains concentrated in a limited administrative center, the distance between government and citizens increases.

Pakistan’s existing number of provinces has historical and political significance. However, from an administrative perspective, it is necessary to ask whether the current structure of four provinces is sufficient for the country’s future needs.

Pakistan’s existing administrative system is further divided into divisions, districts, and tehsils. According to the 2023 Census report, the country had 30 divisions, 136 districts, and 591 tehsils or sub-divisions. This division itself reflects the fact that administrative requirements are increasing.

Ijaz.ul.hassan  Burie chief 

If more divisions and districts have to be created within provinces, then serious consideration should also be given to whether dividing some of the larger provinces into additional provincial units could improve governance.

The purpose of creating new provinces should not simply be to draw new lines on the map. The objective should be to bring government closer to the people, speed up decision-making, make resource distribution more transparent, design development projects according to local needs, and give less-developed regions greater authority to determine their own priorities.

The issue of South Punjab is the most prominent example in the debate over new provinces. For many years, there has been a demand in the region for greater administrative authority, a separate province, and more local control over development decisions. In 2012, the National Assembly also passed a resolution in favor of establishing a separate province for South Punjab, linking the proposal to the political, administrative, and economic interests of the region.

This issue should not be viewed merely through the lens of political affiliation or opposition to a particular political party. The fundamental question for the people of South Punjab is how effective decision-making is in their region, who determines development priorities, and how easily state institutions can reach ordinary citizens.

If a separate province is created, it will only be beneficial if it provides genuine administrative authority, financial resources, and a strong local government system. It should not merely create another secretariat, assembly, and additional government positions.

Sindh is another important example in the debate over new provinces. Karachi is Pakistan’s largest urban and economic center, while many parts of rural Sindh face different challenges related to basic facilities, agriculture, water, healthcare, education, and employment.

The problems of Karachi are not merely provincial issues; they are directly connected to the economy of the entire country. Similarly, the development of rural Sindh is important for Pakistan’s national economy. Therefore, any discussion about the administrative future of Sindh should be based on facts, administrative needs, and public opinion rather than emotions.

If people in any region believe that the existing administrative arrangement is failing to meet their needs, completely ignoring their demand cannot be a solution. However, any administrative change must follow constitutional, democratic, and consensual procedures.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has a highly complex geographical structure. The needs of mountainous areas, remote districts, and urban centers are not the same. On one side are major urban centers such as Peshawar, while on the other are areas where access to basic facilities remains a major challenge.

Balochistan presents a different administrative challenge. It is Pakistan’s largest province by area but one of the least populated in terms of population. According to the 2023 Census, Balochistan has a population of approximately 14.9 million, while its area exceeds 347,000 square kilometers.

This contrast itself highlights the administrative difficulties faced by the province. In a vast region with a small population and widely scattered communities, traditional administrative methods may not be sufficient to ensure an effective state presence. In Balochistan, the creation of new administrative units, stronger district governments, better communication networks, and greater devolution of authority to the local level may be more important.

Here, an important question arises: Is creating a new province the solution to every administrative problem?

Certainly not.

Even if Pakistan creates ten or twelve provinces, ordinary citizens will not experience significant change if decision-making remains concentrated in provincial capitals. The real need is for strong local governments alongside new provinces.

Local governments in Pakistan must be constitutionally strengthened, financially empowered, and given genuine administrative authority. If people in a city, district, or tehsil have to look toward the provincial capital for every matter related to roads, water, sanitation, basic healthcare, local transportation, and urban planning, then merely dividing provinces will not be enough.

New provinces combined with empowered local governments could provide a much more effective solution to Pakistan’s administrative challenges.

One of the biggest problems with the debate over new provinces in Pakistan is that it often remains limited to political manifestos and election slogans. Whenever elections approach, political parties begin discussing new provinces, but once the elections are over, the issue is once again buried in files and speeches.

This should not continue.

Pakistan could establish a permanent National Commission on Administrative Reforms and Provincial Reorganization. The commission could include constitutional experts, economists, geographers, demographers, administrative specialists, and representatives of all relevant regions.

The commission should evaluate every major administrative region of the country on the basis of population, geographical size, economic potential, resources, administrative distance, and public opinion. It should then present its recommendations to Parliament.

No region should be treated unfairly, nor should the creation of new provinces be used as a political strategy to weaken any existing province.

Creating new provinces may be an easy slogan, but financing them is the real challenge.

Every new province would require a governor, chief minister, cabinet, provincial assembly, secretariat, police, government departments, and other institutions. If new provinces merely increase the number of government jobs and administrative buildings, they would not represent reform; they would simply increase government expenditure.

Therefore, the financial structure must also be reconsidered alongside the creation of new provinces. Clear principles must be established regarding resource distribution, the National Finance Commission, provincial revenues, federal transfers, natural resources, water, electricity, and development funds.

A new province should not mean placing an unnecessary burden on Pakistan’s national treasury. The objective should be to use existing resources more efficiently, transparently, and fairly so that they reach the people.

The debate over provinces in Pakistan is not only administrative; it can sometimes become connected with identity. This is why the creation of new provinces requires great caution.

If provincial reorganization is presented as a competition based on language, ethnicity, or regional superiority, it could harm national unity. However, if it is presented as a plan for better governance, public convenience, economic development, and administrative efficiency, the same process could actually strengthen national unity.

Pakistan’s real strength lies in its federal unity. New provinces can strengthen Pakistan rather than weaken it if every new administrative unit considers itself an integral part of the larger national structure.

The creation of a new province cannot be achieved merely through a political announcement. The Constitution of Pakistan provides a clear procedure for this purpose. Under the Constitution, a constitutional amendment seeking to alter the boundaries of a province requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the total membership of the concerned provincial assembly.

Therefore, the debate over new provinces should move forward through Parliament, provincial assemblies, political negotiations, and public consultation rather than through street protests, slogans, or confrontation.

Today, Pakistan needs not only new provinces but comprehensive administrative reforms.

We must determine where state authority should lie. What responsibilities should remain with the federal government? What should the provinces be responsible for? What powers should divisions and districts have? How many resources should local governments receive? How accountable should the police and administration be to citizens? At what level should development projects be designed? And how can we reduce the number of visits an ordinary citizen has to make to government offices?

Once these questions are answered, the concept of new provinces can become a logical part of a broader administrative reform agenda.

Pakistan’s population has now exceeded 240 million, and administrative needs are increasing alongside population growth. According to the 2023 Census, Pakistan’s total population increased by more than 16 percent compared with 2017, while the population of individual provinces has also continued to grow.

If the population continues to increase while the administrative structure remains unchanged, problems will also increase. Pressure on major cities will grow, feelings of deprivation in rural areas may intensify, provincial capitals will face greater administrative burdens, and conflicts over the distribution of resources may become more serious.

Pakistan cannot postpone the debate over new provinces for several more decades. However, this debate must be transformed from an emotional and political slogan into a matter of national policy.

How many provinces should Pakistan have? Where should they be created? What should their boundaries be? Where should their capitals be located? How should resources be distributed?

The answers to these questions should not be determined by the preferences of political parties. They should be based on population, geography, economic capacity, administrative needs, and the will of the people.

We need to seriously consider whether we want to bring