Province Debate Shifts Toward Question of Governance
News Desk
Karachi: Pakistan’s debate over creating new provinces is increasingly being framed as a question of governance rather than territorial politics, with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) calling for a national dialogue on whether the country’s existing administrative structure remains capable of meeting the needs of a rapidly expanding population.
MQM-P Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said on Sunday that political parties should set aside partisan differences and examine whether Pakistan’s current provincial boundaries continue to serve the public effectively.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi alongside Dr Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal, Siddiqui argued that administrative structures must evolve with demographic changes. He said Pakistan had added districts over the years as populations increased but had largely avoided addressing the broader question of whether some provinces had become too large to manage efficiently.
He maintained that the consequences of retaining the existing structure should be considered alongside the potential benefits of creating additional provinces.
A Question of Administrative Capacity
The MQM-P demand comes amid renewed discussion about restructuring Pakistan’s governance system following Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s remarks describing the country’s administrative structure as “collapsed”.
Naqvi subsequently clarified that his comments were not directed at the present government. He said he was referring to the gradual decline in administrative and institutional capacity over several decades and maintained that the existing constitutional system would continue through its term.
Siddiqui said the debate over new provinces should not be treated as an attack on national unity. He pointed to constitutional provisions governing the creation of provinces and argued that the issue could be discussed through the legal and parliamentary framework.
MQM-P has already submitted a constitutional bill seeking changes in this area, which is currently before a parliamentary standing committee. The party has also previously approached the courts after claiming that progress on the issue had stalled.
Sindh Remains Focal Point
The debate carries particular significance for Sindh, where MQM-P has consistently advocated greater administrative decentralisation.
Siddiqui said Sindh was among the regions where the demand for additional administrative units was strongest. Mustafa Kamal rejected suggestions that the proposal was aimed at any particular ethnic community, saying the objective was to bring government institutions closer to citizens.
He argued that smaller administrative units could improve public representation, strengthen accountability and make it easier for governments to respond to local needs.
Farooq Sattar said greater administrative decentralisation could also contribute to national stability by increasing public participation and ensuring that local leadership remained connected to the communities it represented.
Political Resistance
Despite support from several political figures, the proposal faces considerable opposition.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which governs Sindh and remains a key coalition partner of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has opposed the creation of new provinces.
Federal figures, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, have also not endorsed the proposal.
Sanaullah recently said the federal government had no plan to create new provinces. He noted that different proposals were being discussed publicly, with suggestions ranging from 12 provinces to 20 or more.
He also questioned whether there was sufficient public demand for such a major restructuring, pointing out that outside the Hazara province demand, there was limited evidence of a nationwide grassroots campaign for new provinces.
Support from Other Parties
The proposal has nevertheless gained backing from political figures outside MQM-P.
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party President Abdul Aleem Khan described the creation of new provinces as a national issue and supported demands for South Punjab and Bahawalpur provinces.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has also backed the idea of additional administrative units, while stressing that any such move must be based on political consensus and carried out under the Constitution.
The constitutional process presents a major challenge. Any change involving provincial boundaries requires approval through the prescribed constitutional mechanism, including a two-thirds majority in the relevant assemblies.
Beyond Map
The latest debate ultimately raises a broader question: should Pakistan focus on preserving its existing provincial structure or redesign its administrative system around population growth, accessibility and effective public service delivery?
Supporters believe smaller provinces could bring government closer to citizens and improve representation and accountability. Critics, meanwhile, warn that the issue could become entangled with ethnic, political and territorial interests.
For now, there is no clear political consensus on the way forward. But MQM-P’s call for a national dialogue has shifted the discussion from simply asking how many provinces Pakistan should have to a more fundamental question of how the country should be governed in the decades ahead.
