ISLAMABAD: A diverse gathering of political figures, policymakers, technocrats and civil society representatives at a national debate called for new provinces, administrative units and sweeping local government reforms to decentralise state authority and address the country’s deepening governance crisis.
The debate, “Should Pakistan create more administrative units?” was organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). Senior representatives of PML-N, PPP, MQM, PTI, JI and JUI-F, federal ministers, technocrats and civil society members participated in the discussion.
The debate examined multiple reform options, including the creation of new provinces and administrative units, stronger and more empowered local governments, fiscal devolution, institutional reform and better alignment of government structures with citizens’ needs.
A recurring theme was that any governance restructuring should be informed by constitutional requirements, public demand, fiscal sustainability, administrative capacity and its likely impact on service delivery.
Stress greater devolution and reforms to address constitutional, fiscal and regional concerns
Participants also highlighted the need for stronger devolution of political, administrative and financial authority so that governance structures, whether existing or newly created, can respond more effectively to citizens.
They offered different perspectives on the appropriate structure and scale of governance, with some supporting the creation of new provinces or smaller administrative units, others stressing empowerment of existing tiers, and many arguing that these options should be assessed together rather than treated as mutually exclusive.
Liaqat Baloch of Jamaat-i-Islami said the creation of new provinces and the strengthening of local governments should be considered alongside broader fiscal and constitutional reforms.
He called for more effective use of the Council of Common Interests to address disputes between the federation and provinces, particularly over resources, water and other constitutional matters.
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal said administrative restructuring should ultimately be judged by whether it reduces citizens’ sense of exclusion and improves service delivery.
He argued that smaller administrative units could bring government closer to citizens and stressed that local governments would remain an essential part of the governance architecture regardless of the number of provinces. He also said proposals for new provinces should be backed by public support.
Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law and Justice, said citizens most frequently approach elected representatives over local service delivery issues such as roads, streets and sewerage, underscoring the need for effective local governments.
PPP leader and former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira noted that the debate over administrative restructuring is not new and cautioned that any reform process should be managed carefully so that it does not deepen inter-provincial or inter-regional sensitivities over resource distribution.
Nadeem Afzal Chan, PPP leader and former Member of National Assembly, called for politicians and state stakeholders to develop a consensus-based reform agenda.
He identified judicial and electoral reform, intra-party democracy and rule of law as related governance priorities, and said any discussion on administrative restructuring should remain anchored in the constitutional framework.
Asad Umar, former federal minister, described declining public trust in state institutions and excessive centralisation as major governance challenges.
He proposed a three-tier NFC arrangement through which resources would be distributed among the federal, provincial and local governments according to a defined formula.
Salman Akram Raja, PTI Secretary General, argued that Pakistan already had divisions, districts and tehsils that required greater empowerment. He said even splitting Punjab into three provinces would leave each unit larger in population than most European countries.
Noor Alam Khan, MNA former chairman PAC, called for comprehensive governance reforms before and alongside the creation of new provinces.
Dr Farrukh Saleem, economist and political analyst, opposed creating a large number of additional provinces without first addressing institutional weaknesses.
He argued that Pakistan’s central problem was expenditure and governance rather than tax collection.
Mohammad Mallick, senior journalist and analyst, said structural changes would remain ineffective without changing institutional behaviour and political culture.
Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, SDPI Executive Director, said the debate demonstrated the value of bringing different governance options into a common policy discussion.
He noted that participants presented varied views on new administrative units and provinces, while also identifying strong local governments, effective fiscal devolution and improved service delivery as important elements of any future governance framework.
Others who spoke included Dr Khaqan Hassan Najeeb, former Adviser at the Ministry of Finance; Mohammad Ali Durrani, former federal minister; and Haroonur Rashid, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2026
