National Debate Opens Fresh Discussion on New Provinces
News Desk
Islamabad: The debate over creating new provinces and administrative units in Pakistan has gained fresh momentum, with political leaders and experts calling for a broader review of the country’s governance structure, stronger local governments and greater devolution of powers.
The discussion took place at a national debate organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad under the theme, “Should there be new administrative units in the country?”
Participants from different political backgrounds agreed that Pakistan’s administrative structure needs reform, although they differed on whether the priority should be creating new provinces or strengthening existing systems of governance.
Federal Minister for National Health Mustafa Kamal backed the creation of additional administrative units, arguing that greater decentralisation could improve governance and public service delivery. He said the four provinces receive Rs8,884 billion, but an effective mechanism for transferring powers and resources to the grassroots level remains lacking.
Former Lahore mayor Mian Amir Mahmood also supported smaller administrative units, claiming that they could potentially save more than Rs330 billion annually in administrative costs. He stressed that effective local governments were essential for delivering services and improving public trust.
However, PPP leader and former federal information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira urged caution, saying provinces have emerged through specific historical and political circumstances. He argued that the debate should consider the country’s constitutional framework, history and existing distribution of powers rather than focusing solely on the creation of new provinces.
Kaira also questioned whether simply creating additional provinces would resolve governance problems, saying attention must be given to the wider system of government and implementation of constitutional provisions.
Former federal finance minister Asad Umar said empowering citizens and bringing decision-making closer to them would strengthen Pakistan. He argued that there was no reason to oppose new provinces if they resulted in better governance and greater public participation.
Former federal minister Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif called the issue primarily political and proposed the formation of a national commission comprising representatives of political parties. He said consensus would be essential and constitutional amendments would be required if new provinces were created.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja focused on local governments, calling for constitutional protection of their powers and responsibilities. He said clearly defined constitutional authority could make devolution to the grassroots level more meaningful.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch said the creation of new provinces was compatible with the Constitution and democratic principles, provided the issue was considered in light of administrative requirements and public interest.
Former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry went further, arguing that an effective local government system could not be achieved without restructuring the existing provincial framework. He called for an integrated approach covering new administrative units, devolution of powers and questions of regional identity.
The debate highlighted a growing political discussion over whether Pakistan’s governance challenges can be addressed through the creation of new provinces, stronger local governments or a combination of both. While several participants favoured additional administrative units, others stressed that constitutional reforms, political consensus and genuine devolution of powers would be equally important.
The discussion also indicated that the question of new provinces is no longer limited to administrative boundaries, but is increasingly being linked to governance, resource distribution, political representation and the effectiveness of public service delivery.
