THE debate over creating new provinces deserves serious discussion beyond slogans and political point-scoring. The core argument is administrative efficiency. A province like Punjab, with over 120 million people, or Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with vast and diverse districts are simply too large to be governed effectively from one capital.

Service delivery in health, education and policing suffers when resources and decision-making remain centralised. Smaller administrative units could bring government closer to the people, reduce regional disparities and ensure local issues get priority attention instead of being lost in provincial capitals hundreds of kilometres away.

However, the creation of new provinces cannot be driven by political expediency ahead of elections. Any new unit must meet clear constitutional and administrative criteria, have financial viability, and command broad consensus among local stakeholders. Redrawing boundaries along ethnic lines alone risks deepening divisions rather than solving governance problems.

The federal government, with input from the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and provincial assemblies, should set up an independent commission to study feasibility, fiscal impact and public opinion. If done with sincerity, new provinces can strengthen the federation. If done hastily, they will only add another layer of bureaucracy without improving the lives of citizens.

Muhammad Iqbal Shakir
Mianwali

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2026